South  American  Butterflies. 


TO  THE  i^ 

ANu 

THE  NARRATIVE  OF  A  .s 
SOUTH    AMERICA,    V\ 
UPON  THINGS  SEEN  /. 

SOUTH   AMERICAN   BUTTERFLIES. 

1.  Morpho  achillcBna  (HiibneT). 

2.  Ageronia  velutina  Bates. 

3.  Heliconius  phyllis  (Fabricius). 

4.  Catagramma  cynosura  Doubleday  &  Hewitson. 

(Underside.^ 

DiRi    5-     Stalachtis  phlegia  (Cramer). 

6.  Agrias  sardanapalus  Bates. 

7.  Colics  lesbia  (Fabricius). 

8.  Catoblepia  berecynthtis  (Cramer). 

9.  Callithea  hewitsoni  Staudinger. 
"WITHLCEIC H.eUcomwnarcaa  Oodart. 

11.  Utesid  simois  Hewitson. 

12.  Eresia  anieta  Hewitson. 


•fv 


.nozii                                -(I    \M  '^\iiO  j. 

.(larni  ■■'      ' '   -'•'•■  - 

5    .(ayhndfrH  w\oO  .'^ 
.noaJr 


I 


lerican  Butterflies 


TO  THE  RIVER  PLATE 
AND  BACK 

THE  NARRATIVE  OF  A  SCIENTIFIC  MISSION  TO 

SOUTH     AMERICA,    WITH     OBSERVATIONS 

UPON  THINGS  SEEN  AND  SUGGESTED 


BY 


W.  J.  HOLLAND 


Sc.D.,  LL.D.  (St.  Andrews).   F.R.S.  (Edinb.).   F.Z.S..  Etc. 

DIRECTOR    OF   THE    CARNEGIE    MUSEUM.   LATE    CHANCELLOR   OP 
THE   UNIVERSITY  OF  PITTSBURGH 

AUTHOR  OF  ••  THE  BUTTERFLY  BOOK."  ETC. 


WITH    EIGHT   PLATES   IN    COLOR   FROM   DRAWINGS  BY  THE 
AUTHOR  AND  78  OTHER  ILLUSTRATIONS 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 
NEW    YORK    AND    LONDON 

Zbc  Tkuicl;crbocl?cr  press 


Copyright,  1913 

BY 

W.  J.  HOLLAND 


Ube  "Rnicftcrbocfccr  press,  "Rcw  Borft 


THE    MANY   CHARMING    MEN    AND    WOMEN    WHOSE    ACQUAINTANCE    I    HAD 
THE   HONOR  OK   MAKING   IN    SOUTH    AMERICA 

I  Dedicate  This  Book 


^?Br;2o 


PREFACE 

SOME  who  are  now  engaged  in  literary  pursuits 
would  no  doubt  be  far  more  profitably  engaged 
in  growing  eorn.  "The  first  call"  belongs  to  the 
stomach.  There  is  always  a  market  for  breadstuffs. 
"  Literary  wares,"  on  the  other  hand,  often  go  a-begging. 
I  have  a  friend  who  is  a  poet.  For  the  last  twenty 
years  or  more  he  has  every  day  composed  for  the  news- 
papers from  four  to  ten  stanzas  of  humorous  verse. 
I  complimented  him  recently  upon  the  fecundity  of 
his  muse.  "Oh,  that  is  nothing!"  he  replied.  "There 
is  a  man  in  Kansas  who  advertises  that  he  will  write 
poems  in  exchange  for  garden-truck."  Even  poets 
have  stomachs,  and  call  for  food.  Com  may  be  traded 
for  culture. 

Happy  then  the  lot  of  the  farmer!  He  needs  but 
to  carry  his  eggs  to  the  market,  and,  if  they  be  only 
"tolerably  fresh,"  he  is  sure  to  return  with  his  pockets 
filled  with  jingling  dollars — or  poems,  if  he  lives  in 
Kansas. 

In  view  of  the  foregoing  reflections  it  may  appear  to 
be  a  daring  act  for  the  writer  to  venture  to  add  another 
to  the  long  and  ever-growing  list  of  books;  more  espe- 
cially to  add  another  tale  to  the  many  which  have  been 
told  by  travelers.  At  first  I  hesitated,  but  finally 
yielded  to  the  persuasions  of  certain  of  my  friends, 
justly  held  in  esteem  by  the  literary  world,  who  have 


vi  Preface 

urged  me  to  set  down  my  impressions  of  a  journey  which 
at  all  events  was  pleasurable  to  me. 

I  brought  back  with  me  from  South  America  a  large 
series  of  photographs,  some  of  them  made  by  my 
assistant,  Mr.  Arthur  S.  Coggeshall,  others  obtained  in 
places  visited  by  us.  During  my  journey,  at  such 
few  moments  of  leisure  as  I  could  command,  I  made  a 
number  of  sketches  both  in  oil  and  water-colors.  Some 
of  these  photographs  and  sketches  I  have  used  in 
illustrating  the  book. 

This  book  is  not  a  manual  of  statistics;  it  does  not 
touch,  except  incidentally,  upon  the  history  of  the 
great  republics  of  the  south;  it  is  not  intended  to  be 
in  any  sense  didactic; — it  is  simply  the  record  of  a 
pleasant  journey,  during  which  I  saw  much  and  learned 
much  which  was  of  interest  to  me,  and  may  also  be  of 
interest  to  my  readers.  If  they  derive  half  as  much 
satisfaction  from  my  pages  as  I  had  in  my  pilgrimage 
to  the  "Silver  River"  I  shall  feel  repaid. 

W.  J.  H. 
Pittsburgh, 
September,  191 3. 


CONTEXTS 


CUAPTBK 

r.Ki.r. 

I. — The  Dii'lodocus       .... 

1 

ir.— At  Se.\ 

1 6 

III. — LiviN'c,  Thin(;s  in  tiu;  W.\ters 

27 

IV. — The  S<juthi:i<n   lIi:.vviiNS  . 

33 

v.— A  Day   in  Hamia       .... 

43 

VI. — Rio  DK  Janeiro         .... 

57 

VII. — RAMHLEiS   ABOUT    Rio  I)E  JANEIRO 

6X 

VIII.— Santos 

79 

IX. — Montevideo  and  the  River  Plate 

89 

X. — La  Plata           ..... 

108 

XI. — Argentina        ..... 

128 

XII. — Buenos  Aires           .... 

147 

XIII.— The  Delta  oi    the  Paran.v 

166 

XIV. — A  Trip  to  Mar  del  Plata 

187 

XV. — A  Mysterious  Beast 

211 

VIU 


Contents 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

XVI. — Life  in  La  Plata            ....  223 

XVII. — The  Presentation  of  the  Diplodocus  .  248 
XVIII.— A  Trip  to  Tucuman      .          .         .         .260 

XIX. — Last  Days  in  Argentina       ,         .         .  286 

XX, — Sao  Paulo     ......  302 

XXI, — Trinidad        ......  316 

XXII. — The  Lesser  Antilles    ....  334 

XXIII. — Observations  and  Reflections     .         .  552 

Index 37^, 


PACK 


ILLUSTRATTONS 
{In   Color) 
South  American  Butterflies  Frontispiece. 

PA 

Moonlit  Cloud  on  the  Eq'^'ator         ...  26 

Sketch  in  the  Harbor  of  Bahia         ...  42 

View  of  Rio  dk  Janeiro  from  the  Harbor  5<) 

Sunset  at  Sea     .......  hk 

National  Observ.vtory  at  La  Plata            .         .  222 

Port  of  Spain.  Trinidad                         .          .          .  .^i'> 

Mont  Pelee.  Martinique  .....  .^.^4 

{In  Half -Tone) 

DiPLODOCUS    CARNEGIEI    HaTCHER  ...  I 

Photograph  of  the  Skeleton  Mounted  n  the 
Carnegie  Mu.seum.  Pittsburgh.  Total  Length 
84 }4  feet;  Height  at  Hips,  i,^  feet. 

Present.\tion  of  the  First  Replica  of  the  Dipi.o- 
docus  to  the  trustees  of  till.  british  muskum       12 

Crossing  the  Line      ......       22 

1.  Some  of  Father  Neptune's   Minions. 

2.  The    Chief    Steward    is    Tumbled    into    the 

Bathing  Tank 


X  Illustrations 

PAGE 

Views  in  Bahia.  .'....       52 

1.  View,  Looking  down  from  the  Balcony  of  the 

Elevator  in  the  Upper  City. 

2.  Interior  of  Church  of  San  Antonio,  Bahia. 

Opera-House,  Rio  de  Janeiro.    ....       62 

Avenue  of  Royal  Palms  in  the  Botanical  Gar- 
den, Rio  de  Janeiro         .....       66 

The  Monroe  Palace,  Rio  de  Janeiro         .         .       68 

Street  Scenes  in  Rio  de  Janeiro       ...       72 

1.  Vegetable  Dealer 

2.  Poultry  Vender 

A  Glimpse  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  from  the  Harbor, 
WITH  the  Peak  of  Corcovado  Showing  its 
Abrupt  Eastern  Face      .....       76 

Santos 82 

1.  View  of  the  Harbor. 

2.  Loading  Coffee  at  Santos.     Bananas  Piled  on 

Forward  Deck 

Montevideo.        .......       88 

1.  The  Cathedral. 

2.  The  Presidential  Mansion 

The  Plaza  Hotel,  Buenos  Aires  .  .  .     100 

The  Railway  Station,  La  Plata  .  .  .     106 

Teatro  Argentino,  La  Plata      .  .  .  .108 

The  National  Museum,  La  Pl.\ta  .  .  .114 


Illustrations  xi 


PACK 


Tmc   Prksidf.nti AL   Mansion   and  tiik   Plaza   dk 
Mavo,  Bli;n()s  Airks         .....      128 

.\    ViKW    IN    THE    Zoological    Oarijkn,    Bli:nos 
Aires        .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .      i4() 

Views  on  the  Pampas  .  152 

1.  Herd  of  Blooded  Cattle. 

2.  Sheep.     The  Meat  of  the  Country. 

Snap-shots  in  Buenos  Aires       ....     156 

1.  Guanacos  in  the  Zoological  Garden. 

2.  The  Dairyman. 

Grand-stand  of  the  Hippodrome,  Buenos  Aires  160 

BuiLDiNt;  Contrasts  in  Buenos  Aires  .     164 

1.  Colon  Theatre. 

2.  Humble  Home. 

Snap-shots  in  the  Campo  .....     166 

1.  A  Guacho. 

2.  A  Country  Market-place. 

Mar  del  Plata  .         .         .         .         .         .         .186 

I.  The  Beach. 

2    Lodging  House  of  the  Hotel  Bristol. 

Handling  Grain  ......     210 

1.  Hauling  Wheat   to  Market.      Seven  Horses 

Harnessed  Af)reast. 

2.  Grain  Elevators,  Buenos  Aires. 

Farm-Life  .......     238 

1.  Wheat  Sacked  and  Piled  after  Threshing  on 

an  Argentinian  Ranch. 

2.  Argentinian    Farm- wagon,   U.scd    for    Heavy 

Hauling. 


Xll 


Illustrations 


Portrait  of  Dr.  Roque  Saenz  Pena,  President 
OF  Argentina  ....... 

On  the  Way  to  Tucuman  .... 

1.  El  Tigre.     A  Favorite  Pleasure  Resort  near 

Buenos  Aires. 

2.  Tucuman,  the  Ancient  Capital. 

Buenos  Aires.     ....... 

1.  Monument  of  San  Martin. 

2.  Glimpse  into  the  Cemeterio  del  Norte 
The  Stairway  at  the  Entrance  of  the  Jockey 

Club,  Buenos  Aires         ..... 

Aconcagua  ....... 

The  Iguassu  Falls      ...... 

Snap-shots  from  the  Deck  of  the  Steamer 

1.  View  of  Mont  Pelee. 

2.  Negro  Boy  Diving  for  a  Penny,  Barbados 

LIST  OF  FIGURES  IN  TEXT 

I.  Diagram  Showing  the  Succession  of  the  Geologic 
Ages,  and  the  Origin  in  Time  of  An'mals  and 
Plants         ..... 


Two  caudal  vertebrae  of  Diplodocus 

Breadfruit 

Jackfruit 

Eudcemonia  semiramis 

Macropus  longimanus 

Dynastes  hercules 

Coffee  in  bloom     . 

Coffee  in  fruit 


248 
260 


286 


290 
292 
298 
346 


4 
7 

47 
47 
74 
75 
78 
86 
86 


Illustrations  xiii 


PACK 


10.  Skull  of  Sabre-toothed  Tiger  .  .  .115 

11.  Skull  of  "puK-faced"  or  Niata  cow         .  117 

12.  Group  of  skeletons  of  Pigmy  Camels   (Steno- 

mylits  hitchcocki)  .  .  .  158 

13.  Carpinchos  {Hydrochcerus  capybara)  .  180 

14.  Crested  Screamer  (Cliaunia  chavaria)  .183 

15.  Silver-mounted  Mat6-gourd  and  Bombilla  190 

16.  Vizcacha  .  .  .  195 

17.  Mylodon  robustus  Owen  ....      2ch) 

18.  Dcedicurus  claincaiidatus  Owen  .  .  .     203 

19.  Macrauchenia  patachonka  Owen      .  .  208 

20.  Skeleton  of  Toxodon  biirmeisleri  Giebel   .  .     209 

21.  Skin  of  Grypotherium  domeslicum  Roth    .  .213 

22.  Ordure  of  Grypotherium  domeslicum  Rolh         .     220 

23.  Cocoon  of  CEketicus  platensis  .  .     229 

24.  Head   of    Everglade    Kite    (Rostrhamus    socia- 

bilis) 233 

25.  Shell  of  Ampullaria  canaliculata      .  .  .     233 

26.  Scissor-tailed  Fly-catcher  (Milvulus  tyrannus)         263 

27.  Carancho  {Polyborus  tharus)  .  .  .     284 

28.  Nine-banded  Armadillo  ....     2S7 

29.  Armadillo-basket    ......     2S7 

30.  Pod  of  Cacao  {Theobroma  cacao)    .  -3-7 

31.  Guacharo  (Sleatornis  steatornis)       .  .     332 

32.  Caricature  from  Caras  y  Carclas  3^>4 


w 


a 


„    ^ 


a, 


o 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Rack 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  DIPLODOCUS 

"  I  wish  I  were  an  ichthyosaurus 
And  could  swim  the  Lias  ocean. 
And  eat  fish.     But,  oh!     I  am  not. 
Alas!  I  cannot  Ix-  an  ichthyo- 
lehthyosaurus;  for  I  'm  a  diplo- 
Diplodo-do-docus.     I  can  tic 
My  rubber  neck  into  a  knot." 

So.vc-BooK  u/  the  Gtological  Socitty  of  America. 

ON  November  ii,  191 1,  Mr.  Andrew  Carnegie 
dictated  a  note  to  the  writer,  in  which  he  stated 
that  he  had  received  from  Dr.  Roque  Saenz  Pena,  the 
President  of  the  Argentine  RcpubHc,  a  letter  suggesting, 
that,  inasmuch  as  replicas  of  the  skeleton  of  Diplodocus 
carnegiei  had  been  presented  to  the  national  museums 
of  various  European  countries,  a  like  donation  to  the 
National  Museum  of  Argentina  would  be  greatly 
appreciated.  Mr.  Carnegie  went  on  to  say  in  his  note 
that  the  expression  of  the  wish  of  a  kijig  or  president 
is  not  to  be  lightly  set  aside,  and  accordingly  instructed 
me  to  prepare  such  a  replica,  as  soon  as  it  could  be 
conveniently  done,  and  to  arrange  for  its  installation 


5  To  the  Rixer  Plate  ajid  Back 

in  such  museum  as  mig:ht  br  desi|::na.t.e.d  by  the  propex 
Authorities. 

At  this  point  the  reader,  unless  he  is  well  versed  in 
t.bf  recent  pro^jress  of  paleontological  re.searc±i,  may 
well  ask:  "What  is  a  Diplodocus?"  He  -will  find  him- 
self in  the  same  frame  of  mind  as  the  French  Secretan^ 
of  Leg:ation  who  was  being:  entertained  in  Philadelphia, 
and  came  to  Hs  host  with  a  troubled  countenance 
sabring:  "I  liave  been  here  for  some  days  and  I  he^r 
everybody:  speaking  about  ze  Biddl.cs,  Vat  ees  a 
Biddle?     Jr  nr  ccimprrnds  pas.'" 

'Bcksrt  ajxswcring  the  question,  a  little  preliminan' 
discourse  of  a  semi-scientific  nature  is  required  for 
the  enlightenment  of  the  uninitiated.  Should  anj'  one 
of  mj-  brethren  of  the  Geological  Society  of  America 
chance  upon  this  book,  he  is  at  libertj^  to  omit  the 
perusal  of  what  follows  on  the  immediately  succeeding 
pages. 

The  world  in  which  we  live  is  a  verj'  old  world. 
Many  things  have  happened  during  its  long  existence, 
and  one  of  these,  which  is  of  interest  to  all  of  us,  is  the 
evolution  upon  its  surface  of  plants  and  animals.  No 
recording  angel  has  written  doT^m  the  stors'  of  this 
process,  and  we  are  left  to  decipher  it,  as  well  as  we 
ma3',  from  the  rer:ords.  more  or  less  confused  and  frag- 
mentar<>%  -v^-hicii  we  find  in  the  sedimentar}-  rocks. 
These  are  the  rocks,  which  once  were  mud  and  beds  of 
sand,  in  which  were  buried  bits  of  wood,  leaves,  shells, 
and  the  bones  of  various  animals.  In  the  lapse  of 
ages  the  mud  and  the  sand  became  cemented  together 
and  hardened,  carrjTng  with  them  as  integral  parts  of 
their  subst.ance  the  remains  which  were  included  in 
them.  These  sedimentaiy  rocis  in  the  aggregate  are 
A^ery^  thick.     It  has  been  estimated  that  thej^  have  a 


The  Diphxiocus  3 

perpendicular  depth  of  fifteen  miles  or  more;  not  in  one 
place,  but  when  they  are  arranged  in  chronological 
order  according  to  the  times  of  their  deposition.  Their 
strata  have  been  studied  carefully,  have  been  classified, 
and  many  of  them  named. 

Lynng  on  the  crystalline  rocks,  which  do  not  appear 
to  have  been  laid  down  in  water,  there  are  great  series 
of  strata,  consisting  at  first  of  the  debris  of  eroded 
igneous  rocks,  which  are  knovsTi  as  Archean,  in  which 
the  evidence  of  the  existence  of  life  is  mostly  inferential, 
based  upon  the  fact  that  graphite  and  limestone  occur 
in  these  beds.  Upon  these  were  subsequently  deposited 
layers  of  mud,  which  settled  down,  when  the  world 
was  young,  at  the  bottom  of  ancient  seas  and  oceans. 
In  these  are  found  here  and  there  the  remains  of  marine 
animals  and  plants,  mostly  of  a  lowly  organization. 
To  these  ver>-  old  strata  geologists  have  applied  the 
name  Paleozoic,  because  they  contain  relics  of  the  most 
ancient  forms  of  life,  the  word  "paleozoic"  being  com- 
posed of  two  Greek  words  which  mean  "ancient"  and 
"life."  Superimposed  upon  these  older  formations 
is  another  great  series  of  rock}'  layers,  some  of  which 
were  laid  down  in  the  seas,  others  of  which  were  formed 
on  low-lying  swampy  lands,  and  still  others  in  the  beds 
of  rivers  and  estuaries.  These  strata  geologists  are 
accustomed  to  call  Mesozoic,  the  word  being  again 
formed  from  two  Greek  vocables  meaning  "middle" 
and  "life."  Still  higher  up  in  the  ascending  series  is  a 
third  great  aggregation  of  stony  beds,  to  which  geolo- 
gists have  given  the  name  Cenozoic,  compounded  of 
Greek  words  which  signify  "new"  an^i  "life."  These 
beds  are  often  called  Tertiary. 

In  the  Paleozoic  s^indstones  and  limestones,  as  has 
been  intimated,  we  have  the  remains  of  creatures  which 


4  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

lived  in  the  seas;  such  as  corals,  shell-fish,  trilobites, 
and  in  the  upper  strata  curious  fishes,  mostly  long  since 
extinct.     In  the  Mesozoic  beds,  which  are  of  marine 


CENOZOIC 

OR 

TERTIARY 

(AGE    OF    MAMMAL^ 


GEOLOGIC 

AGES 


QUATERNARY 
(age   of   man) 


MESOZOIC 

(AGE    OF    REPTILES) 


PALEOZOIC 

(AGE    OF    fishes; 


ARCHEAN 

OR 

EOZOIC 


IGNEOUS 

OR 

AZOIC 


ANIMALS 


< 

0)    1 

a  <    < 

CD    I     2 


It 


PLANTS 


Z    If) 

u   a 
<  0   i^ 

0 


-I   o 


"*  <   u    u  a 


Fig.  I. — Diagram  showing  the  succession  of  the  geologic  ages 
and  the  origin  in  time  of  animals  and  plants.  (Modified  after 
Leconte.) 


origin,  we  find  the  remains  of  marine  life,  but  we  also 
find  in  some  of  the  strata  great  beds  of  coal,  formed  no 
doubt  on  swampy  land  raised  above  the  level  of  the 
sea;  and  we  find  further  fislies  and  reptiles  in  great 
numbers,  curious  birds  witli  teeth,  and  in  the  upper 


The  Diplcnlociis  5 

strata  a  few  very  primitive  mammals.  In  tlic  Ceno- 
zoic  rocks  occur  plants,  fishes,  reptiles,  birds,  and  mam- 
mals, gradually  becoming,  as  we  ajjproach  the  top  of 
the  series,  more  like  the  creatures  which  to-day  exist 
upon  the  globe.  Finally  on  top  of  the  Tertiary  we 
find  the  soil  and  gravel  in  which  man  of  to-day  plays 
his  part. 

The  reptiles,  which  most  concern  us  in  this  narrative, 
reached  their  highest  development  in  Mesozoic  times 
in  ])oint  of  numbers  and  variety  of  species.  The  Meso- 
zoic age  has  been  called  "the  age  of  rei)tiles,"  as  the 
Cenozoic  has  been  called  "the  age  of  mammals." 
But  many  of  the  reptiles  of  the  Mesozoic  were  not  like 
the  reptiles  of  to-day.  There  were  great  groups  of 
them  which  have  become  totally  e.xtinct,  leaving  no 
survivors  at  the  present  time.  Among  these  were  the 
dinosaurs.  Towards  the  close  of  the  Mesozoic  age 
they  attained  their  greatest  development,  and  then  in 
early  Cenozoic  times  gradually  died  out.  There  were 
probably  hundreds,  even  thousands,  of  different  kinds 
of  dinosaurs,  which  at  one  time  lived  upon  the  globe. 
We  know  that  some  of  these  were  quite  small;  others 
were  the  hugest  animals  which  have  walked  on  four 
feet  upon  the  surface  of  the  globe.  It  was  the  discovery 
of  fragments  of  some  of  these  larger  reptiles  which  led 
Sir  Richard  Owen,  the  great  English  naturalist,  to 
coin  a  name  for  them,  comjx)unded  of  two  Greek 
words,  $£ivo^  (deinos),  meaning  "terrible,"  and  oa;ipo; 
(saurus),  meaning  "lizard."  Dinosaurs  are  reptiles, 
which  lived  in  the  Mesozoic  and  at  the  beginning  of  the 
Cenozoic  ages,  millions  of  years  ago.  As  I  have  inti- 
mated, not  all  of  them  were  "terrible."  Some  of  them 
were  quite  small.  And  these  smaller  reptiles  are  only 
called  dinosaurs,  because  they  belong  to  the  same  natural 


6  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

order  to  which  the  huger  beasts  of  which  I  have  spoken 
have  been  assigned  by  systematists. 

One  of  the  great  formations  of  rock  belonging  to  the 
Mesozoic  age  is  known  by  geologists  as  the  Jurassic, 
so  called  because  it  is  finely  developed  in  the  Jura 
Mountains.  But  this  formation  is  not  confined  to 
Europe.  Jurassic  rocks  occur  in  all  parts  of  the  globe. 
They  have  become  the  hunting-ground  of  those  who 
desire  to  obtain  well-preserved  specimens  of  dinosaurs. 
There  are  great  exposures  of  the  Jurassic  among  the 
Rocky  Mountains  in  Wyoming,  Colorado,  Utah,  and 
other  States. 

One  of  the  most  indefatigable  students  of  the  extinct 
life  of  the  North  American  continent  was  the  late 
Professor  Othniel  C.  Marsh  of  Yale  University.  He 
consecrated  his  life  and  the  fortune  bequeathed  to  him 
by  his  uncle,  the  celebrated  philanthropist,  George 
Peabody,  to  the  task  of  elucidating  the  story  buried  in 
the  strata.  He  died  a  poor  man,  before  the  work  he 
had  undertaken  had  been  completed.  Generations 
of  men  are  likely  to  follow  him  to  the  grave  before  the 
whole  story  is  rescued.  Among  the  strange  forms, 
fragments  of  which  were  obtained  for  Professor  Marsh 
by  his  assistants  working  in  the  Jurassic  strata  of 
Wyoming,  was  that  of  a  dinosaur,  to  which  he  gave  the 
name  of  Diplodocus.  The  word  is  compounded  from 
the  Greek  words  ScxXooq  (diploos),  meaning  "double," 
and  lovAq  (dokos),  meaning  "beam,"  or  "rafter." 
In  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  the  word  dokos  occurs  in 
the  well-known  passage  where  The  Great  Teacher  says, 
"First  cast  out  the  beam  [rafter]  out  of  thine  own  eye; 
and  then  shalt  thou  see  clearly  to  cast  out  the  mote  out 
of  thy  brother's  eye."  The  reason  Professor  Marsh 
chose   these  words  in  coining  a  name  for  the  newly 


The  Diplodocus  7 

discovered  beast  was  the  fact  that  on  the  lower  side 
of  the  tail  of  the  animal,  where  the  vertebrae  come 
together,  there  are  little  bones  known  to  anatomists  as 
chevrons,  which  in  the  case  of  these  particular  animals 
look  like  lilllc  rafters,  and  which  are  arranged  in  pairs. 
This  arrangement,  it  has 
since  been  discovered,  is  not 
altogether  peculiar  to  the 
species  of  the  genus  Diplo- 
docus, but  occurs  in  other  al- 
lied dinosaurs;  nevertheless, 
the    name    having   been  orig-        P>g-  2.— «.  b.  Two  caudal 

11  ,        • ♦         4.u;„      c vortcbrae   of    Diplodocus;    c. 

mally    given     to     this     form,      ,  ,       ••      , 

•'      °  chevrons   on    under    side   of 

according     to     the     laws     of    ,^,1 
scientific    nomenclature    it 

cannot  be  changed.  Professor  Marsh  obtained 
through  his  assistants,  principally  through  the  labors 
of  Dr.  S.  W.  Williston,  now  the  Professor  of  Paleon- 
tology in  the  University  of  Chicago,  some  of  the  limb- 
bones,  two  somewhat  fragmentary  skulls,  various 
vertebrae,  and  other  parts  of  the  animal,  sufficient  to 
enable  him  to  form  an  appro.ximate  idea  of  what  it 
may  have  been  like.  The  question  of  its  form  and 
structure  was  nevertheless  left  for  want  of  more 
material  in  a  somewhat  uncertain  state.  Subsequently 
Professor  Henry  Fairfield  Osbom  obtained  a  pelvis 
and  the  greater  part  of  the  tail  of  a  diplodocus,  and 
published  a  paper  enlarging  our  knowledge  of  the 
framework  of  the  animal. 

Shortly  after  the  death  of  Professor  Marsh,  Mr. 
Andrew  Carnegie  expressed  to  the  writer  his  wish  that 
the  Museum  of  the  Institute  which  he  had  founded  in 
Pittsburgh  should  undertake  the  task  of  prosecuting 
scientific  researches  along   the  same  lines  which   had 


8  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

been  followed  by  his  lamented  friend,  Dr.  Marsh,  and 
added  the  promise  that  he  would  provide  for  this 
purpose  the  necessary  funds.  It  was  a  noble  sugges- 
tion and  a  noble  promise.  Work  was  immediately 
begun  and  success  speedily  crowned  the  efforts  of  the 
talented  assistants  whom  the  writer  was  able  to  gather 
about  him.  Early  in  July,  1899,  a  telegram  was  re- 
ceived from  an  exploring  party  in  Wyoming  announcing 
the  discovery  not  far  from  the  banks  of  Sheep  Creek 
in  Albany  County  of  the  remains  of  a  diplodocus  more 
perfect  than  had  thus  far  been  discovered  anywhere. 
The  discovery  had  been  made  on  July  4,  1 899.  During 
the  summer  and  fall  of  that  year,  Dr.  Jacob  L.  Wort- 
man  and  his  assistants,  chief  among  them  Mr.  Arthur 
S.  Coggeshall,  labored  continuously,  and  quarried  out 
a  large  quantity  of  pieces  of  rock  containing  the  bones 
of  the  monster.  In  the  autumn  these  were  brought  to 
the  laboratory  of  the  Museum  and  the  bones  were  extri- 
cated from  the  matrix.  In  the  following  spring  the 
work  was  resumed  under  the  care  of  that  admirable  and 
indefatigable  collector,  Mr.  John  Bell  Hatcher.  The 
remains  of  another  specimen  of  the  same  species  and 
of  nearly  the  same  size  were  found  in  the  same  deposit 
quite  near  by.  The  second  skeleton  supplied  some 
parts  which  the  first  failed  to  yield.  In  the  end  it 
was  discovered  that  by  combining  the  two  specimens 
a  complete  skeleton  could  be  assembled. 

Meanwhile,  the  writer,  using  the  material  secured, 
endeavored  to  reconstruct  the  skeleton  in  outline,  and 
drew  a  rough  preliminary  sketch  which  he  sent  to  Mr. 
Carnegie,  who  was  sojourning  at  his  summer  home  in 
Scotland.  The  drawing  was  hung  upon  the  wall  of 
one  of  the  pleasant  rooms  of  the  castle.  Some  time 
afterward  King  Edward  VII.  called  upon  Mr.  Carnegie 


The  I)ii)l()tl()(.us  9 

at  Skibo.  While  there  his  eye  chanced  to  rest  upon 
the  sketch  and  his  curiosity  was  excited.  "What  is 
this,  Mr.  Carnegie?"  he  said.  "Ah!"  replied  Mr. 
Carnegie,  "a  namesake  of  mine,  one  of  the  biggest 
quadrupeds  which  ever  walked  the  earth."  The  King, 
who,  as  the  Prince  of  Wales,  had  long  served  as  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Tnistees  of  the  British  Museum 
at  once  replied:  "We  must  have  one  of  these  in  the 
British  Museum.  Do  not  fail  to  secure  us  a  specimen." 
Shortly  afterward  Mr.  Carnegie  wrote  a  letter  to  the 
narrator,  and,  after  telling  about  the  visit  of  the  King, 
concluded  by  expressing  the  hope  that  the  wish  of  His 
Majesty  might  be  gratified,  also  suggesting  that  another 
specimen  should  at  once  be  sought,  and,  if  found, 
turned  over  to  the  British  Museum.  The  writer  knew 
that,  aided  by  the  best  of  prospectors,  he  might  search 
for  months  and  for  years  without  obtaining  another 
specimen  so  perfect  as  the  one  which  had  been  dis- 
covered, and  which  was  about  to  be  set  up  in  the  Museum 
in  Pittsburgh.  Accordingly  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Carnegie 
explaining  the  extreme  improbability  of  promptly 
complying  with  His  Majesty's  \\'ishcs,  and  suggesting 
that  a  replica,  an  exact  facsimile  of  the  existing  speci- 
men, might  be  made;  and  that  for  purposes  of  study 
and  exhibition  such  a  replica  might  serve  almost  as 
well  as  the  original.  The  fact  that  the  making  of  such 
a  replica  would  involve  a  great  deal  of  care  and  inge- 
nuity, and  considerable  expenditure  of  time  and  money, 
was  made  clear.  After  a  month  had  passed  a  reply 
was  received  expressing  doubt  as  to  whether  the 
Tnistees  of  the  British  Museum  would  care  to  accej)t 
a  replica,  but  at  the  same  time  expressing  entire 
willingness,  should  this  be  the  case,  to  defray  whatever 
cost  might  be  incurred.     The  writer  at  once  addressed 


10  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

a  letter  to  Professor  Edwin  Ray  Lankester  explaining 
the  matter,  and  not  long  afterwards  received  through 
Dr.  Lankester  from  the  Trustees  of  the  Museum  in 
London  a  communication,  in  which  they  expressed  their 
cordial  appreciation  of  the  generous  thought  of  Mr. 
Carnegie,  further  stating  that  a  suitable  place  for  the 
display  of  the  specimen  would  be  found,  and  requesting 
the  writer  to  immediately  proceed  with  the  undertaking. 
Never  before  had  just  such  a  task  as  this  been 
attempted.  The  skeleton  measured  eighty-four  and 
a  half  feet  in  length.  The  bones,  though  hard,  M^ere 
in  places  delicate  and  extremely  fragile.  Difficulties 
in  the  use  of  materials  were  encountered.  The  great 
vertebrae,  full  of  deep  pits  and  crowded  with  slender 
projections,  presented  many  problems  in  treatment 
which  were  vexatious.  When  at  last  the  molds  had 
been  made,  and  casts  of  the  more  than  two  hundred 
bones  had  been  secured,  there  remained  the  work  of 
designing  a  steel  frame  upon  which  they  might  be 
assembled  in  their  relative  positions,  and  of  providing 
plans  for  a  base  upon  which  the  whole  structure  might 
rest.  Professor  J.  B.  Hatcher,  Mr.  A.  S.  Coggeshall, 
and  their  assistants  were  tireless.  At  last  the  greatest 
difficulties  were  surmounted.  At  that  time  there  was 
no  unoccupied  room  in  the  building  of  the  Institute 
sufficiently  large  to  permit  us  to  erect  the  specimen 
within  its  walls.  With  great  courtesy  the  managers 
of  the  Western  Pennsylvania  Exposition  Society  allowed 
us  the  use  of  one  of  their  vacant  halls,  and  there  we  set 
up  the  great  skeleton  preparatory  to  taking  it  down 
again  and  shipping  it  to  London.  Before  the  work 
was  quite  completed  Professor  Hatcher  was  suddenly 
seized  by  a  fatal  illness  and  passed  over  into  the  endless 
silence.     It  fell  to  the  writer,  who  had  taken  an  active 


The  Dipludocus  ii 

part  in  the  work,  to  carry  it  to  completion.  When  it 
was  finished  a  few  friends  were  invited  to  view  the 
restoration  before  it  was  made  ready  for  shipment  to 
London.  Some  years  afterward,  in  the  city  of  Paris, 
I  met  Emmanuel  Fremiet,  the  veteran  sculptor.  We 
were  introduced  to  each  other  in  the  Museum  of  Natural 
History  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  where  one  of  the 
replicas  of  the  Diplodocus  had  just  been  installed. 
Standing  opposite  the  skeleton,  Fremiet  said  to  me: 
"I  am  not  a  paleontologist,  and  no  doubt  there  is 
much  about  this  thing  which  is  interesting,  which  I  do 
not  understand;  but  I  marvel  at  it  as  a  piece  of  work- 
manship. From  the  standjxiint  of  the  sculptor,  and 
more  particularly  as  a  sculptor  of  animals,  I  wish  to 
express  my  admiration  and  my  astonishment.  How 
did  you  do  it.'*"  Coming  from  a  man  who  perhaps 
was  better  able  than  any  other  to  appreciate  the 
technical  difficulties  which  had  been  overcome,  I  have 
always  felt  that  his  words  were  cause  for  congratulation, 
and  I  have  often  with  pleasure  repeated  them  to  my 
assistants.  Our  final  success  was  largely  due  to  these 
faithful  men. 

C)n  May  12,  1905,  in  the  presence  of  a  brilliant  as- 
semblage composed  of  men  in  all  walks  of  life,  princi- 
pally men  of  science,  Mr.  Carnegie  presented  the  first 
replica  we  had  made  to  the  Trustees  of  the  British 
Museum.  The  gift  was  accepted  on  their  Ix^half  by 
Lord  Avebur>',  and  pleasant  words  were  spoken  by  a 
number  of  those  who  were  present.  The  Diplodocus 
was  the  sensation  of  the  hour  in  LxDndon,  and  the 
attendance  at  the  Natural  History  Museum  was 
retx)rted  to  be  the  largest  on  any  ddy  since  those 
which  had  immediately  succeeded  the  ojxining  of  the 
doors  of  that  great.  treasure-hou.sc  of  knowledge. 


12  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

During  the  second  week  of  April  in  the  year  1907 
the  greatly  enlarged  buildings  of  the  Carnegie  Library 
and  Institute  in  Pittsburgh  were  formally  rededicated. 
From  many  lands  came  delegations  of  learned  men 
bearing  felicitations.  Among  these  visitors  was  a 
company  of  eminent  Germans,  the  representatives  of 
His  Majesty,  the  German  Emperor,  and  also  a  company 
of  distinguished  Frenchmen  representing  their  countr}'-. 
They  did  not  come  with  empty  hands.  The  German 
Emperor  sent  a  right  royal  gift,  consisting  of  books, 
engravings,  and  photographs,  illustrating  the  arts  and 
material  progress  of  the  Empire.  The  representatives 
of  France  likewise  were  the  bearers  of  choice  volumes, 
appropriately  dedicated,  and  thus  destined  to  be  memo- 
rials of  their  visit.  Upon  the  morning  of  the  second 
day  of  the  celebration  the  writer  was  summoned  to  the 
telephone  by  Mr.  Carnegie,  who  said:  "Did  you  not 
once  tell  me  that  when  you  were  making  the  replica 
of  the  Diplodocus  for  the  British  Museum  you  had 
made  a  couple  of  additional  castings?"  The  answer 
was  in  the  affirmative.  Then  came  the  reply:  "The 
kindness  of  our  German  and  French  friends  on  the 
present  occasion  prompts  me  to  do  something  in  return. 
If  it  should  be  thought  appropriate  to  tender  to  the 
museums  in  Berlin  and  Paris  the  same  gift  we  made  to 
London,  please  take  up  the  matter  with  the  gentlemen 
who  represent  Germany  and  France,  and  arrange  to 
do  so."  It  did  not  take  long  to  act.  The  German 
Minister  of  State,  Herr  Theodor  von  Moeller,  and 
General  von  Loewenfeld  were  in  a  few  moments  in  the 
office  of  the  Director  and  a  statement  of  Mr.  Carnegie's 
thoughts  was  made  to  them.  They  appeared  greatly 
pleased.  Baron  d'Estournelles  de  Constant  and  Mon- 
sieur Paul  Doumer  were  shortly  afterward  apprised  in 


o 


The  Diplodocus  13 

like  manner  of  the  desire  of  the  founder  of  the  Institute, 
and  they  also  expressed  satisfaction.  General  von 
Loewenfeld  with  soldierly  promptness  resorted  to  the 
use  of  the  cable,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  following 
day  presented  a  reply  from  His  Majesty,  the  Kaiser, 
which  was  as  follows: 

General  von  Loewenfeld, 

Carnegie  Institute, 

Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania. 

Sprechen  Sie  Mr.  Carnegie  fur  seine  Darbietung,  die  ich 
geme  annehmen  will,  und  fur  die  mir  durch  das  Geschenk 
erwiesene  Aufmerksamkeit,  mcincn  wamistcn  Dank  aus.' 

WiLHELM. 

From  President  Fallii^res,  at  a  later  date,  there  came 
in  response  to  the  personal  representations  made  to 
him  by  the  French  delegates,  a  graceful  acceptance  of 
Mr.  Carnegie's  offer. 

As  a  result  of  the  events  just  narrated  it  came  about 
that  at  the  end  of  April  in  the  year  1908  the  writer, 
accompanied  by  Mr.  Arthur  S.  Coggeshall,  repaired 
to  Berlin  and  there  installed  in  the  Royal  Museum  a 
replica  of  the  Diplodocus,  following  that  act  in  June 
by  rendering  the  same  service  in  the  Musee  d'Histoire 
Naturelle  in  Paris. 

Meanwhile  the  Imperial  Museum  in  Austria  and  the 
Italian  Museum  of  Paleontology  in  Bologna  had  re- 
quested and  been  i)romised  the  same  gift.  The  replica 
presented  to  the  Emperor  Francis  Joseph  of  Austria 
was  installed  in  the  Kaiserliches  Konigliches  Natur- 
historisches    Hofmuseum    in    September,,    I9<x^i     and 

'  Translation:  "Please  express  to  Mr.  ramcj»ic'  my  wannest  thanks 
for  his  ufTtT.  whiih  I  am  happy  to  acii-pl,  and  for  the  attention  shown 
mc  by  his  gift.     William." 


14  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

accepted  in  person  by  the  Emperor;  and  the  repHca 
presented  to  the  King  of  Italy  was  installed  at  Bologna 
in  October  of  the  same  year. 

While  the  writer  was  in  Paris  in  1908,  he  made  the 
acquaintance  of  the  Grand  Duke  Wladimir,  the  uncle 
of  His  Majesty,  the  Czar  of  Russia.  The  Grand  Duke 
spent  some  time  in  the  company  of  the  narrator  exam- 
ining the  replica,  which  was  in  process  of  being  set  up 
at  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  and  in  conversation  about 
its  discovery.  Before  taking  leave  he  turned  and  said : 
"In  view  of  the  fact  that  Mr.  Carnegie  in  his  great 
generosity  has  been  presenting  these  remarkable  things 
to  various  countries  in  Europe,  tell  him  from  me  that 
he  must  not  overlook  Russia."  In  due  course  of  time 
I  mentioned  the  incident  to  our  Maecenas,  and  he  at 
once  expressed  himself  as  glad  to  act  upon  the  sugges- 
tion. In  the  spring  of  the  year  19 10  a  replica  was 
installed  in  the  Imperial  Academy  of  Sciences  at  St. 
Petersburg.  On  all  of  these  occasions  the  liveliest  interest 
was  shown  not  only  by  the  learned,  but  by  those  in  the 
ordinary  walks  of  life.  The  Diplodocus  has  been  called 
"the  beast  which  has  made  paleontology  popular." 

The  reader  now  understands  why  the  long  journey  to 
the  southernmost  of  the  American  republics  was 
undertaken.  It  was  for  the  purpose  of  setting  up  in 
the  museum  at  La  Plata  the  seventh  reproduction  of 
the  colossal  mesozoic  reptile,  the  bones  of  which  had 
been  quarried  from  the  Jurassic  beds  of  Wyoming  in 
the  summer  of  the  year  1899. 

For  various  reasons  the  writer  shrank  from  the 
journey.  A  multitude  of  uncompleted  tasks  stared 
him  in  the  face;  he  feared  the  loss  of  the  time  which 
would  necessarily  be  consumed;  he  was  not  in  the  best 
of  health,  and  was  in  very  low  spirits.     He  endeavored 


Thf  l^iplodocus  15 

to  draw  back  and  to  substitute  another  in  his  place, 
but  failed.  Finally,  summoning  his  resolution  to  the 
task,  he  went,  and  now  he  is  glad  that  he  acted  uj)on 
the  promptings  of  his  kind  friend,  Mr.  Carnegie,  who 
repeatedly  urged  him  to  go.  The  voyage  acted  as  a 
restorative.  For  a  tired  man,  suffering  from  mental 
and  physical  exhaustion,  there  is  nu  journey  which 
can  be  made  from  the  port  of  New  York  which  is  more 
likely  than  this  to  prove  beneficial.  The  run  across 
the  Atlantic  to  Europe  is  now  made  all  too  quickly. 
The  traveler  is  no  sooner  installed  in  his  cabin  than  he 
must  begin  to  make  preparations  to  disembark.  The 
voyage  to  Argentina,  occupying  nearly  thirty  days, 
over  calm  summer  seas,  in  comfortable  ships,  which 
from  time  to  time  call  at  points  which  are  full  of  interest, 
is  to  be  recommended  to  any  one  as  tending  in  the 
highest  degree  to  recuperate  exhausted  energ>'.  Of 
the  pleasures  of  this  voyage,  of  the  thoughts  which  it 
awakened,  and  the  impressions  which  it  made,  the 
succeeding  pages  will  tell. 


CHAPTER  II 

AT  SEA 

"Thou  boundless,  shining,  glorious  sea; 
With  ecstasj'  I  gaze  on  thee." 

Friedrich  Leopold,  Graf  Stolberg. 

PROMPTLY  at  half-past  nine  on  the  morning  of 
August  20th  the  cables  of  the  ship  Vasari  were 
slipped,  and  she  made  her  way  from  her  berth  at  Pier  8, 
Brooklyn,  to  the  lower  harbor  and  cast  anchor  opposite 
the  Statue  of  Liberty.  Large  steamers  docking  in 
Brooklyn  are  forced  to  quit  their  berths  before  the  tide 
begins  to  set  toward  Long  Island  Sound,  as,  otherwise, 
they  might  be  driven  against  the  abutments  of  the 
narrow  channel  before  they  could  be  pointed  and 
brought  into  position  to  use  their  full  power  against 
the  stream.  An  inspection  revealed  the  fact  that  none 
of  the  luggage  belonging  to  the  writer  and  his  assistant 
was  on  board.  Appeal  was  made  to  the  purser. 
"Were  your  things  on  the  dock?"  he  said.  "They 
were.  We  brought  them  ourselves.  Here  is  the 
receipt  of  the  baggage-master."  "Well,  make  your- 
selves comfortable!  They  will  be  found  when  we  get 
under  way.  I  have  often  met  people  like  you,  who 
raise  a  fuss  because  things  are  not  in  sight.  Your 
stuff  is  on  board.  Go  and  get  your  lunch  and  keep 
cool.  I  will  bet  you  ten  dollars  the  things  are  on  the 
ship!"     The  prospect  of  making  the  voyage  to  Argen- 

i6 


At  Sea,  17 

tina,  lasting  a  month,  witli  only  two  collars  and  a 
toothpick  as  a  wardrobe  was  appalling.  We  did  not 
"  make  ourselves  comfortable, "  we  did  not  "  keep  cool. " 
We  rummaged  the  ship  and  visited  every  stateroom. 
We  had  the  baggage-room  unlocked  and  inspected  its 
contents.  We  went  down  into  the  hold.  We  "raised 
Cain."  Our  baggage  was  not  on  board.  Resort  was 
had  to  the  wireless  telegraph,  and  the  tug,  which  came 
to  take  the  agent  of  the  company  ashore,  finally  brought 
our  trunks.  The  jolly  purser  confided  to  me  after- 
wards that  when  the  tug  came  alongside  he  overheard 
me  say  "There  are  my  things!"  and  that  he  forthwith 
"took  a  sneak."     We  sailed  in  peace. 

The  pilot  was  dropped.  The  ship  was  pointed  for 
Cape  St.  Roque,  the  easternmost  projection  of  the 
South  American  continent,  and  we  steamed  away. 
A  few  sails  were  dimly  seen  at  sunset  under  the  shadow 
of  a  thunder-storm,  which  was  hanging  over  the  coast 
of  New  Jersey.  These  were  the  last  sails  to  greet  our 
eyes  for  fourteen  days  until  we  came  in  sight  of  the 
harbor  of  Bahia  in  Brazil. 

The  path  of  the  ship  led  immediately  into  the  Gulf 
Stream,  the  eastern  edge  of  which  we  crossed  after  we 
had  been  out  three  days.  These  were  the  hottest  days 
of  the  entire  voyage.  After  we  had  traversed  the 
Gulf  Stream  we  presently  came  into  the  region  of  the 
northeast  trade-winds,  and  a  refreshing  breeze  blew 
day  after  day,  imparting  coolness  to  the  staterooms. 
In  the  region  of  the  "doldrums"  or  equatorial  calms, 
there  was,  contrary  to  expectation,  a  pleasant  wind, 
and  after  we  had  doubled  the  eastern  ix)jnt  of  South 
America  we  came  into  the  region  of  the  southeast 
trade-winds,  and  leaving  the  sun  behind  us  to  the 
north,  reached  away  during  the  last  days  of  our  jour- 


iS  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

ney  into  the  waters  of  the  South  Temperate  Zone. 
We  faced  no  stormy  weather  during  the  voyage.  Not 
a  single  person,  man,  woman,  or  child,  in  a  company 
of  over  one  hundred  and  fifty  first-class  passengers, 
complained  of  sea-sickness.  The  "fiddles"  or  table- 
racks  were  never  used  in  the  saloon,  and  the  purser 
informed  me  that  only  once  during  the  past  three  years 
have  they  been  called  into  requisition,  and  then  it  was  on 
a  midwinter  trip,  as  the  ship  was  approaching  New  York. 
"I  was  afraid,"  he  said,  "that  we  could  not  find  the 
fiddles  on  that  occasion,  as  they  had  been  so  long  stowed 
away,  but  they  turned  up  after  we  had  made  a  hunt  for 
them,  and  were  in  use  for  two  meals.  "  It  is  impossible 
to  choose  any  route  out  of  Nev/  York  harbor  which  is 
more  certain  than  this  to  lead  into  pleasant  weather. 

The  life  on  our  steamer  in  most  respects  was  like 
that  on  any  other  great  liner,  with  certain  exceptions. 
On  the  North  Atlantic,  between  New  York  and  Europe, 
in  the  middle  of  the  morning  passengers  are  offered 
hot  broths  and  tea  and  coffee,  and  in  the  middle  of  the 
afternoon  are  served  with  warm  drinks,  even  in  summer. 
On  the  Vasari  clam-broth  and  bouillon  were  replaced 
by  ice-cream;  the  tea  was  iced;  and  most  passengers 
elected  lemonade  instead  of  coffee.  On  the  North 
Atlantic,  even  in  July  and  August,  rugs  and  heavy 
wraps  are  much  in  evidence;  on  the  Vasari  the  ladies 
toyed  with  their  fans  and  danced  at  night  in  airy 
costumes.  Nobody  thought  of  closing  the  ports  until 
we  had  passed  the  equator,  when  it  began  to  be  cool  at 
night. 

The  first  day  out  a  huge  canvas  tank  was  set  up  on 
the  forward  deck  and  from  time  to  time  was  filled  with 
fresh  water  from  the  sea.  Here  every  morning  many 
of  the  passengers,  arrayed  in  bathing  suits,  came  for  a 


At  Sea  10 

gralelul  and  refreshing  plunge.  The  lank  every  after- 
noon was  a  welcome  resort  for  the  boys  and  girls  on 
board. 

Of  children  the  ship  had  its  full  quota.  There  were 
five  baby -carriages  on  board  and  five  jolly  i)abies  were 
daily  trundled  to  and  fro,  cooing,  laughing,  and  kicking 
their  legs  in  the  air.  Of  larger  children  there  were 
about  thirty,  who  had  many  a  game,  and  many  a  romp. 
One  of  the  pleasant  incidents  was  a  dinner  for  the  chil- 
dren, which  was  given  the  day  before  we  reached  Rio  de 
Janeiro.  On  that  occasion  it  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  writer 
to  award  to  the  young  people  the  prizes  which  they  had 
won  in  the  "potato  races,"  the  " egg-and-spoon  races," 
and  the  games  of  ring-toss  and  shuffle-board,  which 
had  been  played  on  deck.  On  the  evening  of  the  same 
day  awards  were  made  to  their  elders,  who  had  joined 
in  like  sports,  or  who  had  won  prizes  in  the  "bridge 
tournaments"  and  in  the  masquerades  which  had  taken 
place.  There  was  not  a  little  musical  talent  on  board; 
and  a  couple  of  enjoyable  concerts  were  given  in  which 
professional  and  amateur  jx?rformers  joined  amicably, 
and  won  the  gratitude  of  their  fellow-travelers. 

The  company  in  the  first  cabin  included  a  large  num- 
ber of  men  belonging  to  the  difTerent  branches  of  the 
engineering  profession.  They  were  either  going  out 
for  the  first  time,  or  else  returning,  to  take  charge  of 
work  uix)n  the  railways,  or  the  great  electrical  enter- 
prises which  are  being  developed  in  South  America. 
A  still  larger  number  of  the  passengers  were  representa- 
tives of  firms  engaged  in  the  manufacture  and  sale  of 
agricultural  machinery.  One  of  these  men  was  a  veteran, 
and  repeatedly  had  visited  the  interior  of  South  America, 
going  from  ranch  to  ranch  giving  instruction  in  the 
use  of  American  mowers,    reai)ers,  and    steam-plows. 


20  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

Originally  beginning  life  as  a  jeweler  in  a  small  town  in 
western  New  York,  he  had  drifted  to  Chicago  and 
found  employment  with  a  firm  engaged  in  making  agri- 
cultural implements,  and  years  ago  had  been  sent  to 
Argentina  as  a  demonstrator.  He  was  a  typical  "New 
York  Yankee,"  and  the  recital  of  his  experiences,  told 
in  his  drawling  vernacular,  interlarded  with  Spanish 
expressions,  was  infinitely  quaint  and  droll.  The 
learned  professions  were  represented  by  several  physi- 
cians, lawyers,  and  clergymen,  the  latter  missionaries 
returning  to  their  charges  after  their  furloughs.  All 
were  men  of  cultiu-e  and  refinement  with  whom  it  was 
a  pleasure  to  converse. 

The  "  Crossing  of  the  Line"  occurred  on  August  31st. 
The  event  had  been  anticipated  by  many  with  interest 
and  curiosity.  One  gentleman,  speaking  about  the 
matter,  remarked:  "We  shall  no  doubt  feel  it  an  hour 
or  two  before  we  get  there,  and  probably  an  hour  or 
two  afterward."  As  the  equator  is  an  imaginary  line, 
what  my  friend  expected  to  feel  I  am  at  a  loss  to  imagine. 
Another  fellow-voyager  approached  me  and  seriously 
inquired  "  how  long  I  thought  it  woiild  take  us  to  get 
over  the  line."  When  I  told  him  the  feat  might  be 
accomplished  in  about  a  second  of  time  he  looked  mysti- 
fied and  even  disappointed.  I  did  not  press  him  to 
explain  himself.  It  would  hardly  have  been  polite  to 
do  so.  To  what  sort  of  nautical  acrobatics  he  was 
looking  forward  will  ever  remain  a  puzzle  to  me.  On 
the  morning  of  the  eventful  day  a  proclamation  was 
read  at  breakfast,  announcing  that  Father  Neptune 
and  his  daughter,  attended  by  their  court,  would  appear 
on  board  at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  then  pro- 
ceed to  initiate  into  the  mysterious  rites  of  his  realm 
all  those  who  were  for  the  first  time  invading  his  do- 


At  Sea  21 

mains  south  of  the  equator.  During  the  forenoon  of 
the  day  there  were  many  conferences  between  the  "com- 
mittee of  arrangements"  and  the  proprietors  of  a  circus, 
who  were  travohng  as  second-class  passengers.  At  the 
ap|X)inted  hour  a  procession  took  place  ui)on  the  upper 
deck.  It  was  headed  by  Neptune  and  his  daughter. 
Neptune  was  clothed  in  a  sea-green  roi^e,  held  his 
trident,  wore  a  crown  of  gilded  pasteboard,  surmount- 
ing his  flowing  locks  which  were  composed  of  strands 
of  oakum.  The  discerning  eye  detected  under  the 
disguise  the  rotund  outlines  of  the  purser;  and  under 
that  of  his  daughter  the  somewhat  diminutive  form 
of  the  second  steward. 

The  reason  for  the  frequent  conferences,  which  had 
been  held  with  the  owners  of  the  side-show  in  the  morn- 
ing, now  became  plain.  The  theatrical  proj^erties  of 
the  troupe  had  been  brought  into  requisition.  The 
chief  steward  arrayed  as  a  ballet  dancer,  and  the  barber, 
wearing  the  mask  of  a  clown,  on  his  head  a  fiery  red 
wig  and  in  his  hands  a  razor  three  feet  long  made  of 
gilded  wood  were  prominent  among  the  merrymakers. 
A  motley  company  composed  of  the  ringleaders  in 
"the  smoking-room  crowd"  wearing  masks  and  strange 
disguises  followed.  A  platform  had  been  erected  in 
front  of  the  swimming  tank.  On  it  the  chief  steward, 
provided  with  a  whitewash  brush  and  a  big  bucket  of 
paste,  took  his  place.  Beside  him  stood  the  barber, 
stropping  his  gigantic  razor  uix)n  a  yard  of  burlap  tied 
to  a  derrick-boom.  The  first  victim  was  a  young  lady 
who  seemed  to  feel  that  it  was  her  duty  to  be  initiated. 
She  came  forward  smiling,  wearing  a  silk  govsTi.  She 
seated  herself  ujxjn  the  barber's  stool.  Her  head  was 
anointed  with  paste,  the  barlxT  made  a  few  passes 
with  his  mimic  razor,  and  then  in  a  twinkling,  heels 


22  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

over  head,  she  was  flung  backward  and  soused  in  the 
tank  by  the  minions  of  Neptune.  The  ship's  surgeon 
and  the  fourth  officer  were  the  next  victims.  They  were 
followed  by  others  until  the  tank  was  full.  Those  who 
were  floundering  in  the  bath  now  resolved  upon  reprisals. 
The  first  attack  was  made  upon  the  chief  steward.  He 
was  seized  from  behind  and  waltzed  into  the  tub,  from 
which  he  emerged  looking  like  a  drowned  rat.  After 
him  came  the  barber,  from  whose  pockets,  crammed 
with  colored  papers,  oozed  bright  green,  pink,  and 
yellow  dye-stuff.  "Beau-ti-ful  as  the  rainbow!"  he 
exclaimed,  as  he  crawled  out  of  the  tank  and  again 
took  his  place  on  the  platform,  and  began  to  strop  his 
razor.  The  fun  now  rose  to  its  height.  One  by  one 
the  company  of  merrymakers  were  caught  and  pro- 
testing, struggling,  kicking,  rolling,  were  brought  to 
the  tank  and  flung  over  its  sides.  It  no  longer  contained 
sparkling  water,  but  a  broth  of  paste,  paint,  floating 
wigs,  and  other  accoutrements.  Those  who  had  met 
their  baptism  in  it  had  an  hour's  work  before  them  in 
their  private  baths  to  remove  the  stains  of  their  experi- 
ence. Each  reveler  received  a  diploma,  properly 
signed  and  sealed  by  Neptune,  attesting  the  fitness  of 
the  recipient  to  sail  "the  seven  seas." 

The  ocean  is  glorious,  but  nowhere  more  so  than  in 
the  equatorial  regions.  Each  day  of  the  voyage  pre- 
sented a  panorama  of  sea  and  sky  in  which  the  play  of 
color  and  of  shifting  lights  was  dazzling.  The  water 
of  the  deeps  of  the  tropical  Atlantic,  when  seen  from 
the  prow  of  the  ship,  glows  with  color  like  the  breast 
of  a  bird  of  paradise.  Dark  purples,  lapis  lazuli,  re- 
splendent greens,  soft  reds,  and  rich  bronzy  tints  melt 
into  each  other  and  shift  and  change  with  every  passing 
cloud   and   every   motion   of   the   waves.     The   depth 


Crossing  the  Line. 

Some  of  Father  Neptune's  Minions.     The  Chief  Steward  Arrayed  as  a 
Ballet  Dancer. 


Crossing  the  Line. 
The  Chief  Steward  is  Tumbled  into  the  Bathing- Tank. 


At  Sea  23 

and  intensity  of  the  blue  tints  of  the  tropical  ocean 
provoked  comment  from  even  those  who  otherwise 
appeared  indifferent  to  the  charms  of  nature.  At  night 
under  a  full  moon  the  reflection  of  the  clouds  on  the 
dark  sea  was  infinitely  tender  and  pleasing.  During 
the  period  we  were  on  the  Oulf  Stream  and  until  we  were 
beyond  the  mouth  of  the  Amazon  the  clouds  were  a 
splendid  study.  They  are  prevalently  of  the  stratus  or 
cirro-stratus  form  on  the  North  Atlantic,  but  over  the 
warm  seas  through  which  we  passed  there  hung  great 
masses  of  cumulus,  "  thunderheads, "  as  I  have  often 
heard  them  called,  like  those  which  rise  over  the  land 
in  hot  midsummer  days.  The  long  cold  streamers  of 
the  North  were  replaced  by  huge  columns  of  soaring 
vapor,  over  which  the  sun  cast  a  robe  of  splendor. 
Below  them  like  a  purple  veil  often  hung  the  rain, 
shov\ing  that  they  were  being  forced  to  return  a  part  of 
the  burden  of  moisture  which  they  were  trying  to  carry 
away.  I  had  looked  for  fine  displays  of  electricity 
in  tropical  latitudes.  Strange  to  say  the  only  lightning 
I  saw  during  the  outward  voyage  appeared  over  the 
coast  of  New  Jersey.  "Jersey  lightning"'  is  famous. 
However,  upon  the  return  voyage  we  witnessed  a 
magnificent  electrical  storm  as  we  were  approaching 
Bahia.  We  were  close  to  the  land  and  the  night 
was  very  dark.  The  sea  was  calm.  All  at  once  a 
flash  of  lightning  illumined  the  sky  and  revealed  for  an 
instant  the  hills,  the  beach,  the  palm-trees  on  the  shore; 
and  then  instantly  the  pall  of  darkness  was  thrown  over 
the  whole  enchanting  scene.     We  waited  for  a  minute 

•  This  allusion  should  be  explained  for  the  benefifof  those  who  have 
not  pursued  their  studies  in  the  Princeton  Theological  S<Tninar>'-  '" 
the  \eo-r3Psarian  dialect  "Jersey  lightning"  is  a  sv^mnym  for  "\vni 
whisky." 


24  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

and  then  again  the  fires  of  the  sky  lit  up  the  sea  and  the 
land.  It  was  an  amazing  and  a  charming  sight,  to  see 
the  world,  bathed  as  in  sunshine,  rush  into  view  out 
of  the  darkness  and  then  disappear.  It  was  as  if  a 
series  of  magnificent  views  were  being  projected  upon  a 
dark  screen  by  the  hand  of  a  celestial  worker  of  wonders. 

The  writer  found  his  favorite  perch  at  the  prow  of  the 
ship.  There,  either  standing  or  sitting,  he  passed 
many  hours  watching  the  waves  and  scanning  the  skies. 
He  was  not  without  pleasant  company.  Many  of  his 
shipmates  discovered  the  same  point  of  vantage,  and 
we  discussed  together  many  things  which  were  suggested. 

The  ocean  is  the  gift  of  the  nebula  out  of  which  the 
earth  was  formed.  There  was  a  time  when  it  did  not 
exist,  except  as  an  immense  mass  of  heated  vapor, 
which  the  hot  ball  of  matter,  about  which  it  clung,  re- 
fused to  allow  to  rest  upon  its  surface.  But  the  earth 
slowly  grew  cold;  the  raindrops  which  fell  upon  it 
ceased  to  hiss  and  sizzle  on  its  red-hot  rocks.  They 
drenched  the  mountain  tops;  and  after  a  while  formed 
brooks  and  rivers,  seeking  lower  levels  in  obedience  to 
the  law  of  gravity.  Ponds,  lakes,  seas,  and  oceans 
were  accumulated  in  the  hollows.  It  was  a  long  pro- 
cess. Millions  of  years  passed  before  it  was  consum- 
mated. As  the  water  fell,  it  leached  their  salts  from 
the  slowly  disintegrating  rocks,  and  carried  them  into 
the  seas.  The  ocean  is  a  great  dripping-pan,  the 
ultimate  receptacle  of  the  waste  of  the  land.  The  ocean 
is  a  grave ;  at  its  bottom  rest  the  remains  of  unnumbered 
and  innumerable  things  which  once  lived  in  its  waters. 
Much  of  the  land  to-day  is  sea-bottom  from  which  the 
water  has  been  withdrawn.  The  marbles,  the  lime- 
stones, and  the  chalks  consist  of  the  consolidated  re- 
mains of  the  dead  which  once  tenanted  the  seas. 


At  Sea  25 

The  ocean  is  the  mother  of  life.  The  destroyer  has 
also  been  the  nurse.  Without  water  there  can  he  no 
life  Lean  over  the  prow  and  hsten  to  the  sound  of  the 
rushing  waves.  It  recalls  the  noise  of  the  leaves  in  the 
forests  when  the  winds  are  passing  over  them.  I  like 
to  imagine,  as  I  listen,  that  the  sea  is  prophesying,  and 
declaring  that  her  gift  to  the  earth  is  to  be  the  wood- 
lands and  the  groves.  The  sun  kisses  the  sea,  and  the 
spirits  of  the  waters  rise  like  Aphrodite  from  the  foam, 
and,  veiled  in  fleecy  clouds,  flee  to  the  land,  sprinkling 
the  sweet  distillations  of  a  million  leagues  of  purple 
water  over  the  thirsty  soil,  and  forthwith  Flf)ra  awakens 
and  weaves  her  woodland  temples  garlanded  with 
blossoms.  The  lowly  mosses  of  the  North,  the  pines 
of  New  England,  and  the  palms  of  Brazil  arc  the  gift 
of  old  ocean. 

Sir  John  Hunter  once  said:  "A  man  is  compounded 
of  about  twelve  pounds  of  mineral  salts  and  two  buckets 
of  water. "  The  statement  is  chemically  correct.  Every 
one  of  us  contains  in  his  body  a  part  of  the  sea,  loaned 
to  us  for  the  time  being  and  brought  to  us  as  a  gift 
by  the  clouds  and  the  rain.  The  earliest  forms  of 
animal  life  upon  our  planet  were  marine.  From  out  of 
the  seas  came  the  first  "swarms  of  living  creatures"; 
they  were  followed  in  due  time  by  the  "fowls  of  the 
air";  and  later  by  the  "beasts  of  the  field."  The  final 
product  of  evolution  is  man.  How  recent,  when  studied 
from  the  standpoint  of  the  geologist  is  the  history  of 
our  race!  I  stood  under  the  Arch  of  Titus  in  Rome  a 
few  years  ago.  I  looked  up  and  read  the  inscription.  I 
said  to  myself,  "How  modem!  This  arch  was  built 
less  than  two  thousand  years  ago;  the  great  reptile,  the 
reproduction  of  which  I  am  bringing  as  a  gift  to  the 
King  of  Italy,  lived  fifteen  millions  of  years  ago;    but 


26  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

he  was  even  then  a  comparatively  modem  form  of  Hfe, 
the  product  of  an  evolution  which  had  been  going  on 
for  aeons  before  his  advent! " 

Will  there  ever  come  a  time  when  the  prophetic 
declaration,  "There  shall  be  no  more  sea,"  shall  be 
fulfilled?  It  is  possible.  Swinging  out  there  in  the 
night  is  the  full-orbed  moon.  There  are  no  seas  or 
oceans  upon  it,  but  it  is  literally  covered  with  volcanoes. 
A  glass  of  only  moderate  power  reveals  the  peaks  and 
the  craters.  These  volcanoes  are  the  best  proof  pos- 
sible that  at  one  time  there  must  have  been  an  abun- 
dance of  water  on  the  surface  of  the  moon.  We  know 
how  volcanoes  are  formed.  Water  sinking  down  into 
the  earth,  which  is  still  hot  in  its  interior,  is  gradually 
heated  and  becomes  steam.  When  the  pressure  of  the 
steam  reaches  a  certain  point  there  is  an  explosion 
and  a  pyramid  of  mud  or  of  lava  is  thrown  up.  We 
know  that  water  is  necessary  to  the  formation  of  lava. 
The  constituent  minerals  in  the  primitive  rocks  in  the 
presence  of  water  may  be  converted  into  lava  at  com- 
paratively low  temperatures.  The  volcanoes  on  the 
moon  show  that  this  little  attendant  globe  was  once 
covered  by  seas.  They  are  invisible  now.  What  has 
become  of  them?  They  have  been  simply  sucked  down 
into  the  rocks  as  the  moon  grew  colder  and  colder, 
just  as  water  is  sucked  up  by  a  sponge.  The  same  thing 
may  happen  to  our  old  world  in  future  ages.  And  the 
air  may  at  last  go  the  way  of  the  water,  as  it  apparently 
has  gone  in  the  moon,  which  has  no  atmosphere. 


w 


u 


o    ^ 
o     ~ 

S      :1 


CHAin^ER  III 

LIVINC;  THINGS  IN    IHE  WATERS 

"  In  the  seas  and  fountains  that  shine  with  mom 
Soc,  Love  is  waking,  and  Life  is  Ixim, 
And  breathing  myriads  arc  I)reaking  from  night 
To  rejoice,  like  us,  in  motion  and  light." — Bryant. 

WE  saw  but  little  life  during  the  voyage.  Now  and 
then  we  caught  sight  of  a  school  of  porpoises  in 
the  distance,  and  on  several  occasions  as  I  stood  at  the 
bow  of  the  ship  I  observed  these  creatures  racing  with 
the  great  vessel  as  it  forged  through  the  waves.  Once 
there  were  ten  of  them,  five  on  each  side,  and  they  kept 
up  with  the  steamer  for  twenty  minutes,  although  she 
was  going  at  fourteen  knots  an  hour.  They  hardly 
seemed  to  move  their  bodies  as  they  made  their  onward 
rush,  except  when  they  took  a  plunge.  Just  before  they 
rose  for  their  leap  out  of  the  water  they  made  three  or 
four  rapid  strokes  of  the  tail  from  side  to  side,  and  thus 
propelled  shot  forth  from  the  wave  into  the  air  and  de- 
scended at  a  steep  slant,  only  immediately  to  rise  again. 
The  open  nostril  or  blow-hole  was  conspicuous  as  they 
emerged.  The  bodies  of  the  two  biggest  sp>ecimens  ap- 
peared to  be  scratched  or  scarred,  as  if  they  had  been 
fighting.  The  race  they  made  with  the  ship  was  quite 
exciting  but  at  last  they  apparently  became  tired,  and, 
shooting  away  to  the  right  and  to  the  left,  disappeared. 


28  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

Hearts  of  muscle  could  not  keep  up  in  the  race  against 
the  tireless  heart  of  steel,  which  unceasingly  pulsed 
within  the  great  ship. 

For  two  days  before  we  reached  Bahia  whales  were 
rather  numerous.  We  often  saw  them  spouting.  The 
water  driven  from  their  nostrils  looks  like  a  puff  of 
rifle-smoke.  None  of  those  which  I  happened  to  see 
was  very  near  to  the  ship,  but  an  excitable  gentleman 
informed  me  one  day  that  in  the  morning,  while  I 
was  at  breakfast,  a  whale  had  been  seen  alongside, 
"and, "  he  said,  "  he  stood  up  on  his  hind  legs  and  looked 
me  full  in  the  face."  I  naturally  regretted  having 
missed  so  marvelous  a  spectacle.  In  my  wanderings 
to  and  fro  upon  many  seas  I  have  often  seen  whales. 
The  largest  number  which  I  ever  saw  at  one  time  was  off 
the  Banks  of  Newfoundland,  in  the  fall  of  the  year  1877. 
We  fell  in  with  a  school  of  sixteen  finbacks.  Some  of 
them  were  huge  fellows.  Having  ''the  freedom  of  the 
rigging,"  I  went  aloft,  and  from  my  lookout  near  the 
masthead  I  had  a  fine  opportunity  to  observe  them. 
They  came  quite  close  to  the  vessel,  and  one  of  them, 
when  within  half  a  cable's  length,  breached,  throwing 
himself  almost  entirely  out  of  the  water.  The  sea  was 
quite  calm,  and  it  was  exceedingly  interesting  to  look 
down  into  its  glassy  depths  and  follow  the  movements 
of  the  monsters  as  they  raced  with  the  ship.  The 
racing  instinct  appears  to  be  almost  universal  among 
animals.  I  have  observed  it  in  the  case  of  dolphins, 
porpoises,  and  whales.  It  is  common  in  dogs,  as  every- 
body knows.  I  have  even  observed  it  in  the  case  of 
butterflies.  Riding  with  a  friend  one  afternoon  from 
La  Plata  to  Ensenada,  I  noticed  that  specimens  of 
the  common  Thistle-butterfly  {Pyrameis)  frequently 
rose  from  beside  the  road  and  flew  along,  racing  with 


Living  Things  in  the  Waters  29 

the  carriage.  I  had  my  butterfly-net  with  mc,  and 
succeeded  in  bagging  several  sixjcimens.  If  they  had 
not  pursued  us,  they  would  not  have  been  caught. 
The  small  boy  who  runs  along  the  pavement  trying 
in  a  burst  of  speed  to  keep  up  with  a  passing  automobile 
reveals  the  survival  in  him  of  the  same  instinct  which 
is  shown  by  the  lower  animals.  This  racing  habit  is 
curious. 

But  we  were  speaking  of  whales.  Bahia  is  a  whaling 
station,  and  we  were  told  there  that  the  catch  made  by 
the  whalers  at  that  port  during  the  past  summer  had 
been  exceptionally  good,  and  that  over  forty  large 
whales,  each  yielding  five  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  oil, 
had  been  taken  by  the  local  fishermen.  They  go  out 
in  small  craft,  haqx)on  their  mighty  quarry,  and  then 
tow  the  carcasses  to  the  shore,  where  the  blubber  is 
flaked  and  tried  out. 

The  only  other  mammals  which  we  observed  during 
the  voyage  were  seals.  These  we  saw  in  considerable 
numbers  at  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata.  On  our 
way  from  Montevideo  to  Buenos  Aires  at  intervals  the 
shy  creatures  would  raise  their  heads  from  the  muddy 
water,  gaze  for  a  moment,  and  then  dive  out  of 
sight. 

There  was  a  remarkable  absence  of  birds  during  the 
early  part  of  our  voyage.  I  do  not  recall  having  seen 
a  single  bird  uix)n  the  Gulf  Stream.  Now  and  then  as 
we  approached  the  southern  continent  we  saw  a  few 
j)etrels,  but  it  was  not  until  we  came  close  to  the  shore 
that  birds  became  numerous.  During  the  last  days  of 
the  voyage,  after  we  had  left  the  trojiics  behind  us, 
several  sixjcies  of  gulls  apjxjared  in  numbers  straggling 
in  the  wake  of  the  shij),  and  also  numerous  Cape- 
pigeons  (Daption  capmse,  Linn.),  the  elegant  black  and 


30  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

white  plumage  of  wliich  made  them  very  conspicuous 
as  they  pattered  to  and  fro  over  the  waves,  or  rose  and 
came  circling  about  the  ship.  In  the  muddy  waters 
of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata  cormorants  were  common. 

Shortly  after  entering  the  Gulf  Stream,  and  there- 
after until  we  reached  the  Tropic  of  Capricorn,  flying- 
fishes  were  exceedingly  numerous.  They  ran  in  great 
schools.  Standing  at  the  prow  it  was  highly  interesting 
to  watch  them  as  they  rose  from  the  bow- waves  and 
fled  from  the  advancing  ship.  Some  were  less  than  an 
inch  in  length  and  when  on  the  wing  looked  like  small 
dragon-flies  darting  out  of  the  water;  others  were  as 
large  as  a  mackerel.  Occasionally  hundreds  of  them 
would  rise  up  together  and  shoot  away.  Their  flight 
suggested  that  of  a  covey  of  quails.  They  often  flew 
to  a  great  distance.  Now  and  then  I  noted  individuals 
which  must  have  flown  a  hundred  yards,  and  sometimes, 
I  think  it  is  no  exaggeration  to  say,  twice  that  distance. 
Everything  seemed  to  depend  upon  the  way  in  which 
they  met  the  wind  on  rising  from  the  water.  I  observed 
them  very  carefully  to  detect  whether  in  their  flight 
they  vibrate  their  fins,  but  they  apparently  never  did 
this,  except  just  at  the  instant  when  they  emerged  from 
the  water,  when  the  great  pectorals  seemed  to  quiver 
for  an  instant  as  they  met  the  air.  It  looked  as  if  they 
were  trying  to  shake  ofT  the  drops  still  adhering  to  them. 
The  tail  is  used  to  give  direction  and  to  maintain 
proper  poise.  A  hundred  times  I  noted  that,  as  they  flew, 
they  just  touched  the  tops  of  the  waves  with  their  tails, 
thus  keeping  themselves  pointed  at  the  proper  angle 
to  the  wind.  One  fine  big  fish  as  he  came  out  of  the 
water  rose  perpendicularly  into  the  air  like  a  kite  against 
the  breeze.  It  looked  for  an  instant  as  if  the  wind, 
which  was  very  strong,  would  blow  him  over  backward, 


Living    Fhings  in  the  Waters  31 

but  a  big  sea  passed  under  him;  his  tail  touched  the 
crest  of  the  wave,  and  he  was  thrown  forward  into  the 
proper  angle  toward  the  wind,  and  then,  rising  like  an 
aeroplane,  started  ofl,  making  the  longest  flight  I  saw 
on  the  whole  voyage,  almost  disappearing  in  the  distance 
before  he  dropped,  head  on,  into  the  side  of  a  big  roller. 
Flying-fishes  are  very  good  to  eat.  The  flesh  is  firm 
and  tastes  like  that  of  a  Spanish  mackerel.  On  the 
return  voyage  we  took  on  a  supply  of  flying-fishes  ob- 
tained in  the  market  of  Bridgetown,  Barbadoes,  and 
for  several  days  the  bill  of  fare  at  dinner  enumerated 
among  other  comestibles  "  filet  of  flying-fish. " 

Standing  at  the  prow  of  the  ship  we  now  and  then 
saw  sea-pens  (Penriatula)  floating  in  the  water.  They 
were  deep  puqjlish  red  in  color,  but  were  not  very 
numerous.  Occasionally  we  saw  "  Portuguese  men-of- 
war"  {Physalia),  their  white  floats  followed  by  their 
long  purple  processes  streaming  behind  them.  Ugly 
things  they  are  to  handle,  and  the  first  officer  told  us  a 
story  about  one  of  his  inexperienced  shipmates  who 
some  years  ago  had  seen  one  of  the  things  in  the  harbor 
of  Bahia  and  seized  it  with  his  naked  hands.  The  terri- 
ble nettle-like  stings  infected  his  right  hand  and  arm, 
which  became  inflamed  and  swollen  so  that  for  over  a 
week  he  was  incapacitated  for  duty.  Now  and  then 
we  saw  masses  of  Vellellida,  which  are  closely  related  to 
the  Portuguese  men-of-war.  They  were  not,  however, 
nearly  as  numerous  as  I  have  seen  them  on  the  Pacific, 
between  Vancouver  and  Yokohama,  where  untold 
millions  of  them  at  times  cover  the  sea  for  miles.  They 
are  quite  small,  not  more  than  an  inch,  in  diameter. 
Their  short  tentacular  processes  when  examined  near 
at  hand  are  of  a  beautiful  blue  color,  but  as  they  appear 
against  the  white  foam  of  the  bow-wave  they  resemble 


32  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

bits  of  charcoal  churned  about  and  rolHng  over  in  the 
water. 

One  phenomenon  which  awakened  my  astonishment 
as  we  went  along  the  coast  south  of  wSantos  deserves 
mention.  When  over  thirty  miles  from  the  land  spider- 
webs  came  floating  through  the  air.  These  spider- 
webs  were  snowy  white  and  were  easily  seen.  I  called 
attention  to  them  at  the  time,  and  afterwards  when  on 
land  I  found  that  they  were  quite  numerous.  I  did 
not  secure  any  of  the  spiders  which  make  them.  But 
I  saw  them  floating  in  the  air  over  the  pampas  just  as 
I  had  seen  them  floating  over  the  ocean.  Butterflies 
and  other  insects  have  frequently  been  noticed  at  great 
distances  from  the  shore.  Carried  into  the  upper  regions 
of  the  air  they  may  be  blown  far  out  to  sea.  I  have  in 
my  possession  a  hawk-moth,  which  flew  on  board  a 
ship  and  was  captured  four  hundred  miles  from  the 
land. 

Only  once  did  we  witness  a  display  of  the  phosphores- 
cence of  which  so  much  has  been  written  by  those  who 
have  sailed  in  the  tropics.  The  night  was  intensely 
dark,  the  moon  having  not  as  yet  risen.  About  the 
prow  of  the  ship  and  along  its  sides  there  appeared  to  be 
great  balls  of  fire  flashing  in  the  water.  The  top  of  every 
wave  was  illuminated,  and  far  away  toward  the  hori- 
zon every  whitecap  seemed  to  be  twinkling  with  stars. 
The  light  is  emitted  by  various  forms  of  marine  life. 
In  this  case  it  was  of  course  impossible  to  decide  what 
creatures  they  were  which  were  giving  forth  this  wonder- 
ful light,  but  it  is  quite  likely  that  we  were  plowing 
our  way  through  swarms  of  large  jelly-fishes,  or  medusae, 
some  of  which  emit  phosphorescent  light. 


CHAPTER  IV 


THE  SOUTH  1:RN  HEAVENS 


*'  A  million  torches  IJKhteil  by  Thy  hand 

Wanik-r  unwearictl  tlirough  the  blue  ab\'ss; 
They  own  Thy  power,  aicomplish  Thy  ajniinand, 
All  gay  with  life,  all  elo<iuent  with  bliss." — Dertkann. 

AT  night,  when  we  were  not  watching  the  clouds 
and  the  sea,  we  gazed  at  the  stars.  Less  than  a 
week  after  saiHng  the  Polestar  sank  so  low  toward  the 
misty  horizon  behind  us  that  we  could  no  longer  see  it. 
One  by  one  the  familiar  constellations  of  the  north 
disappeared  from  view.  We  began  to  look  for  the 
appearance  of  the  Southern  Cross.  One  evening  just 
after  sunset  we  saw  "the  jx)inters, "  Alpha  and  Beta 
Centauri,  but  the  Cross  had  already  set.  On  the 
following  evening  we  made  out  the  Cross  just  above  the 
horizon.  It  was  a  distinct  disapjx)intment  to  many 
who  beheld  it  for  the  first  time.  "  The  flaming  vSouthern 
Cross, "  about  which  so  much  has  l)een  said  and  written, 
cuts  a  rather  sorry  figure  in  the  sky.  The  captain  of 
the  ship  said  to  me  as  we  stood  looking  at  the  constella- 
tion: "It  is  not  a  true  cross. "  The  stars  are  not  located 
in  relation  to  each  other  in  such  a  way  as  at  first  glance 
to  suggest  the  outline  of  a  symmetrical  cross;  and 
furthermore  they  are  too  widely  separated  from  each 
other  to  make  the  constellation  impressive.  In  fact 
there  are  a  couple  of  other  groups  of  stars  in  the  south- 
a  33 


34  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

ern  heavens  which  come  much  nearer  forming  "  crosses," 
and  one  of  these  groups  is  known  as  the  "  False  Cross. " 
Only  one  of  the  stars  of  the  four  composing  the  Southern 
Cross  is  of  the  first  magnitude;  two  are  of  the  second 
magnitude,  and  the  fourth  is  a  star  so  small  that  it  is 
scarcely  visible  except  on  very  clear  nights.  During 
the  greater  part  of  our  time  at  sea  only  three  of  the 
stars  could  be  seen  without  a  glass,  and  the  constellation 
suggested  a  "triangle"  rather  than  a  "cross."  We 
soon  grew  tired  of  looking  at  Crux  australis. 

But  if  the  Southern  Cross  was  a  disappointment,  the 
heavens  above  us  were  not.  There  were  remarkably 
fine  displays  of  the  zodiacal  light  just  after  sunset; 
and  when  the  afterglow  had  faded,  the  skies  seemed  to  be 
fairly  palpitating  with  stars.  Some  of  these  are  ex- 
tremely brilliant.  Alpha  Centauri,  one  of  the  "pointers  " 
of  the  Southern  Cross,  is  the  fixed  star  which  is  nearest 
to  our  solar  system.  It  is  four  and  four-tenths  "light- 
years"  distant  from  us.  That  is  to  say,  it  takes  light, 
traveling  at  the  rate  of  186,327  miles  a  second,  four 
and  four- tenths  of  a  year  to  come  to  us  from  it.  Sirius, 
the  Dog-star,  is  approximately  eight  and  eight-tenths 
"light-years"  distant  from  us,  almost  exactly  twice  as 
far  away.  Alpha  Centauri  is  twenty-five  and  a  half 
trillions  of  miles  from  our  sun.  It  would  take  a  rail- 
way train,  traveling  with  the  speed  of  the  Twentieth 
Century  Limited,  and  making  no  stops,  fifty-two  mil- 
lions of  years  to  go  from  our  sun  to  Alpha  Centauri. 
There  does  not  appear  to  be  any  danger  of  an  immediate 
collision  with  the  nearest  fixed  star.  I  am  glad  I  have 
seen  it.  The  outlook  is  reassuring,  and  I  can  go  to 
bed  at  night  and  sleep  peacefully. 

"The  Clouds  of  Magellan,"  stray  universes,  widely 
separated  from  the  Milky  Way,  which  they  resemble, 


The  Southern  Heavens  35 

though  much  smaller  in  extent  as  seen  from  our  earth, 
attracted  our  attention.  Detached  groups  of  suns,  so 
t;ir  away  that  they  seem  to  be  dra\\Ti  together  and  melt 
into  a  pale  haze  in  the  midnight  sk>',  they  teach  impres- 
sively the  vastness  of  that  immeasurable  domain 
through  which  run  the  unchanging  laws  of  Him  who 
said,  "Let  there  be  light."  How  infinitely  Httle  man 
appears  when  we  contemplate  the  heavens  in  full  view 
of  the  teachings  of  modem  astronomy.  If  the  Psalmist 
could  say  as  he  gazed  at  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars: 
"What  is  man  that  Thou  art  mindful  of  him?"  how 
much  more  reverent  ought  we  to  be  as  with  bared 
foreheads  we  look  up  into  the  purple  vault  above 
us  and  reflect  upon  the  illimitable  distances,  the  tre- 
mendous velocities,  and  the  prodigious  momenta 
of  the  uncounted  suns  and  worlds  which  are  threading 
the  mazes  of  space! 

Standing  under  the  stars  the  paleontologist  cannot 
:ail  to  recall  that  his  astronomical  brethren  in  a  certain 
-cnse  are  also  paleontologists,  "students  of  ancient 
things."  We  have  been  told  that  some  of  the  Hght 
which  touches  the  human  retina,  as  we  stand  at  the 
eyepiece  of  a  telescope,  must  have  started  on  its  earth- 
ward journey  from  the  remoter  points  of  the  universe 
millions  of  years  ago.  In  other  words,  when  we  peer 
through  a  powerful  telescope  directed  toward  the  more 
distant  parts  of  that  great  complex  of  which  we  are 
ourselves  an  insignificant  portion,  we  do  not  see  things 
as  they  now  are,  but  as  they  were  long  ago.  Could  we 
behold  the  Clouds  of  Magellan  exactly  as  they  are  at  the 
present  instant  of  time  we  might  discover,  because 
light  is  so  laggard  and  has  so  far  to  come,  that  changes 
have  occurred  of  which  we  as  yet  have  no  intimation, 
and  concerning  which  information  will  only  be  received 


36  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

in  our  world  in  future  ages.  The  remoter  heavens 
at  which  we  gaze  are  not  the  heavens  which  now  are, 
but  the  heavens  which  once  were.  The  astronomer, 
Hke  the  geologist,  is  to  a  certain  extent  the  student 
of  an  ancient  history. 

Certain  stars  attracted  immediate  attention  by  their 
brightness.  One  of  my  fellow  passengers,  who,  like 
myself,  was  fond  of  "star-gazing,"  approached  me 
one  evening  with  the  request  to  give  him  the  name  of 
the  "planet"  to  which  he  pointed.  Its  steady  and 
brilliant  light  justified  his  momentary  belief  that  he 
was  looking  at  one  of  the  planets,  but  it  was  Sirius. 
Even  more  wonderful  to  me  than  Sirius  was  Canopus, 
that  mountain  of  blue  fire,  which  after  midnight 
glowed  in  the  sky  with  a  splendor  second  only  to  that 
of  the  planet  Jupiter.  If  anywhere  there  be  a  central 
fountain  of  fire  before  which  other  suns  pale  into 
insignificance,  surely  this  is  it.  Although  it  shines 
so  resplendently,  astronomers  have  not  as  yet  been 
able  to  compute  its  distance  from  our  solar  system. 

We  saw  a  number  of  meteors.  None  of  them  were 
very  brilliant.  It  is  really  surprising  how  few  of  these 
things  ever  reach  the  surface  of  the  earth.  Most  of 
them  cannot  be  more  than  a  few  grains  in  weight. 
They  come  flying  out  of  the  deeps  of  space,  are  caught 
by  the  attraction  of  the  earth,  rush  down  toward  its 
surface  but  the  friction  generated  as  they  move 
through  the  air  produces  such  a  heat,  that  they  ignite 
in  the  presence  of  the  oxygen  of  the  atmosphere  and 
burn  up  before  they  reach  the  lower  layers  of  the  all- 
enveloping  air.  My  dear  old  friend,  the  late  Henry 
Ward,  scoured  the  world  in  quest  of  meteorites.  I 
loved  him  very  much.  I  have  on  my  desk  a  paper- 
knife  made  out  of  a  sliver  of  a  meteorite,  which  fell 


The  Southern  Heavens  37 

at  Toluca  in  Mexico,  and  which  he  presented  to  mc. 
I  do  not  know  whether  there  is  anybody  else  who  cuts 
oi)en  his  magazines  with  a  piece  of  a  star.  The  Ward- 
Coonlcy  collection,  which  was  the  result  of  a  great 
exjxrnditure  of  time,  effort,  and  money,  contains  sj)cci- 
mens  representing  several  thousand  "falls."  It  is  one 
of  the  most  complete  collections  of  its  kind  now  in 
existence.  Ward  often  visited  South  America  in  quest 
of  specimens  about  which  he  had  heard.  He  used  to 
tell  amusing  stories  concerning  his  adventures.  No 
hardship  was  too  great  for  him  to  encounter  if  thereby 
he  could  only  add  another  specimen  to  his  collection. 
A  great  many  meteorites  have  been  found  in  South 
America.  There  is  a  big  one  in  the  museum  at  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  which  came  from  near  Bahia.  Wlicn  I  was  a 
student,  the  place  which  Ward  occuj)ied  in  later  years  as 
a  collector  of  meteorites  was  held  by  my  teacher,  Pro- 
fessor Charles  Upham  Shcpard  of  Amherst  College. 
He  was  running  a  race  with  Professor  Maskelyne  of 
England  in  an  effort  to  make  the  most  complete  col- 
lection of  meteorites  in  the  world,  and  before  his 
death  claimed  with  apparent  justice  that  the  only 
collection  exceeding  his  own  was  that  preserved  in  the 
Imperial  Museum  in  Vienna.  The  dear  old  doctor 
used  to  lecture  most  entertainingly  and  instructively 
upon  the  composition  of  these  fragments  of  stellar 
matter  which  he  had  gathered.  Among  them,  I  recall, 
was  a  small  meteorite  which  he  obtained  in  a  curious 
way.  It  fell  one  afternoon  in  the  fall  of  the  year  and 
struck  the  roof  of  a  bam,  where  two  men  were  engaged 
in  flailing  buckwheat.  It  tore  away  a  number  of  shin- 
gles from  the  roof,  bounded  off,  and  fell  into  a  field  near 
by.  A  small  dog  saw  it  fall  and  rushed  out  into  the 
field  and   began   pawing  about   the  hole.     The  men, 


38  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

alarmed  by  the  loud  report,  rushed  out,  and,  attracted 
by  the  peculiar  actions  of  the  dog,  went  to  the  spot, 
and  after  a  while  succeeded  in  digging  out  the  stone, 
which  Professor  Shepard  subsequently  bought.  Upon 
concluding  the  recital  of  this  story,  the  Professor  was 
accustomed  to  remove  his  spectacles,  and,  wiping 
them  with  his  handkerchief,  remark:  "That  was  a 
wise  dog ;  he  recognized  the  Dog  Star  as  soon  as  he  saw 
it."  The  feat  performed  by  the  dog  in  this  case  was, 
however,  surpassed  by  my  friend,  Professor  O.  C. 
Farrington  of  the  Field  Museum  in  Chicago.  A  few 
years  ago  hearing  of  a  fall,  which  had  taken  place  in  one 
of  the  Western  States,  he  made  a  series  of  computations 
which  led  him  to  infer  that  the  aerolite  must  be  lying 
approximately  in  a  certain  position  upon  the  earth's 
surface,  and  then  taking  a  train  from  Chicago,  he  went 
out  upon  the  prairies  of  Kansas,  and  after  tramping 
around  for  a  time,  found  the  very  spot  and  dug  it  out 
of  the  ground.  An  equally  curious  case  is  that  of  the 
Saline  Township  meteorite,  as  it  is  called.  Mr.  S.  A. 
Sutton  of  Hoxie,  Kansas,  was  frightened  one  night  by  a 
blinding  light  and  a  loud  noise,  and  thought  the  lamp 
was  exploding  in  the  front  hall  of  his  house.  He 
sprang  to  his  feet,  and  then  saw  through  the  window  a 
great  trail  of  dazzling  light  in  the  sky  and  realized  that 
it  was  a  meteorite  which  had  passed  overhead.  Being 
a  surveyor  and  mathematician  he  made  computations, 
and  at  last  by  their  help  succeeded  in  locating  the  stone, 
which  is  now  in  the  Field  Museum.  It  weighs  more 
than  sixty-eight  pounds. 

It  is  fortunate  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  that 
there  is  so  little  flotsam  and  jetsam  in  space  and  that 
meteoric  bodies  are  as  rare  as  they  are.  It  would  not 
be  a  pleasant  thing  to  be  perpetually  colliding  with  the 


The  Southern   Heavens  39 

remnants  of  smashed  worlds.  In  1827  a  man  was 
killed  at  Mhow  in  India  by  a  falling  meteorite.  Strange 
things  are  always  happening  in  India.  Where  people 
starve  to  death  by  tens  of  thousands,  and  thousands  are 
annually  devoured  by  tigers  and  killed  by  snake-bites, 
it  would  be  singular  if  some  one  were  not  now  and  then 
knocked  down  by  a  falling  star.  The  population  in 
India  is  crowded,  you  know. 

When  we  had  crossed  the  Tropic  of  Capricorn  the 
fact  that  we  were  in  another  hemisphere  began  forcibly 
to  impress  itself  upon  us,  as  we  looked  at  the  heavens. 
Orion  in  September  stood  in  the  south  with  his  heels 
toward  the  zenith  and  his  head  toward  the  horizon, 
just  the  reverse  of  what  is  true  in  the  north  when 
this  constellation  is  visible.  The  tail  of  the  Scorpion 
jK)inted  upward.  The  "  Man  in  the  Moon "  likewise 
had  changed  his  apparent  position.  His  eyes  appeared 
to  be  toward  the  eastern  horizon,  as  if  he  were  lying 
on  the  side  of  his  face.  The  sun  shone  in  the  north 
and  our  shadows  pointed  toward  the  south.  Every- 
thing was  topsy-turvy.  But  we  were  on  the  underside 
of  the  world,  and  seeing  things  as  we  might  see  them  at 
home  if  we  always  walked  on  our  heads. 

I  have  a  friend  who  has  a  telescope  with  which  he 
beguiles  his  evening  hours.  One  summer  night  the 
man-of-all-work,  a  German,  who  had  been  a  couple  of 
years  in  America,  having  put  the  lawn-mower  into  the 
tool-house,  came  and  stood  near  by,  evidently  filled 
\vith  curiosity  as  he  saw  his  employer  training  his  glass 
at  the  skies.  He  was  invited  to  taJce  a  peep,  and 
explanations  were  given.  Presently  he  turned  and  with 
evident  amazement  and  pleasure  exclaihied:  "Mein 
Gott!  dose  vas  de  same  shtars  I  used  to  see  in  Tscher- 
many!"     Of  course!     Roth  Cfermany  and  the  United 


40  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

States  lie  north  of  the  equator.  But  when  one  arrives 
below  the  equator  one  sees  constellations  different 
from  those  which  fill  the  northern  heavens.  Many  of 
them  have  been  defined  and  named  in  comparatively 
recent  times,  and  bear  designations  which  are  quite 
unfamiliar  to  us  who  have  always  done  our  star-gazing 
"  north  of  the  line. "  We  are  familiar  with  the  Greater 
Bear  and  the  Lesser  Bear,  with  Cassiopeia  and  Androm- 
eda; we  know  Orion  and  the  Greater  and  the  Lesser 
Dog;  but  we  have  never  seen  Pavo,  the  Peacock; 
Apus,  the  Bird  of  Paradise;  Horologium,  the  Clock; 
and  Equus  Pictorius,  the  Painter's  Easel.  The  Air- 
pump,  the  Sculptor's  Workshop,  the  Telescope,  and  the 
Microscope  are  constellations  new  to  us.  We  do  not 
see  these  and  twenty  other  constellations  either  in 
Germany  or  the  United  States. 

The  progress  made  in  astronomical  science  during  the 
last  century  has  been  as  great  as  that  which  has  been 
made  in  any  other  department  of  science.  Much  of 
this  progress  is  due  to  the  refinements  in  instrumental 
equipment  which  have  been  made  possible  by  the 
ingenuity  of  men  who  have  had  at  their  command  the 
mechanical  devices  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The 
huge  telescopes  which  are  used  to-day  could  not  have 
been  constructed  in  those  ages  which  lacked  the  steam- 
engines,  the  lathes,  the  screw-cutting  machinery,  and 
other  appliances  which  are  found  in  modern  workshops. 
The  science  of  astronom^^  owes  a  great  debt  to  such 
consummately  skilled  mechanics  as  Alvan  Clark  of 
Cambridge  and  others.  The  invention  of  the  spectro- 
scope and  the  application  of  the  knowledge  acquired 
through  its  medium  has  vastly  extended  our  acquaint- 
ance with  the  physical  composition  of  the  sun  and  other 
celestial   bodies.      Many   of   the   secrets   of   the   skies 


The  Southern   IIca\cns  41 

have  been  wrested  from  the  darkness  by  the  helj)  of 
photography.  In  fact  the  greater  part  of  the  work 
which  is  being  done  to-day  in  the  field  of  astronomical 
research  is  being  accomplished  by  means  of  specially 
adapted  photographic  cameras.  Photographic  nega- 
tives are  more  sensitive  to  the  action  of  light  than  the 
human  retina,  and  the  records  which  they  furnish  are 
more  correct,  and  are  of  course  permanent.  "The 
personal  equation"  is  to  a  certain  extent  eliminated 
in  photographic  records.  No  two  men  see  things 
exactly  in  the  same  way;  in  fact,  no  two  pairs  of 
eyes  are  exactly  alike.  The  testimony  given  by  as- 
tronomers who  have  reported  what  they  have  seen, 
when  standing  at  the  visual  end  of  the  telescope,  is  as 
variant  as  the  testimony  given  by  witnesses  in  law- 
suits. The  camera,  on  the  other  hand,  if  properly 
adjusted  and  properly  handled,  gives  sure  results. 
Astronomical  research  in  these  days  has  resolved  itself 
very  largely  into  a  quest  for  good  photograi)hic  nega- 
tives of  the  heavens.  The  popular  conception  of  the 
astronomer  as  sitting  at  the  eye-piece  of  a  great  tele- 
scojje,  sweeping  the  depths  of  space  with  eagle  eye,  is 
reflected  in  the  well-known  lines  of  Keats: 

"  Then  felt  I  likr  some  watcher  oi  the  skies. 
When  ix  new  planet  swims  into  his  kin." 

"The  watcher  of  the  skies"  nowadays  is  represented 
by  a  small  piece  of  glass,  coated  with  a  properly  j^rc- 
pared  emulsion,  upon  which  the  distant  heavens  are 
focussed,  and  which  is  exposed  for  minutes  or  hours  at 
a  time  to  the  starlight.  The  final  result  is  a  negative, 
which  presents  the  appearance  of  an  assemblage  of  white 
flyspecks  upon  a  dark  ground.  When  one  of  these  fly- 
specks  is  di.scovered  to  have  Ix'come  a  little  elongated 


42  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

the  suspicion  arises  that  it  may  be  a  moving  body, 
its  orbit  traceable  upon  the  background  of  the  ap- 
parently motionless  fixed  stars;  and  when  it  is  found 
after  successive  exposures  to  have  changed  its  relative 
position  from  night  to  night  and  week  to  week,  it  is 
finally  announced  to  be  an  asteroid,  or  the  satellite  of 
one  of  the  larger  planets,  as  the  case  may  be.  There 
is  then  proper  joy  in  the  astronomical  world,  the  news- 
papers herald  the  discovery  in  large  head-lines,  the 
lucky  finder  is  made  a  Doctor  of  Science,  and  has  his 
name  enrolled  among  the  immortals.  The  negatives 
meanwhile  are  stored  away  in  the  vault  of  the  obser- 
vatory, and  common  men  go  on  toiling  and  moiling  as 
before.  It  has  been  my  pleasure  to  be  personally 
acquainted  with  a  great  many  of  the  leading  astrono- 
mers of  the  past  and  present  generation  on  both  sides 
of  the  Atlantic.  With  some  of  them  I  have  been 
intimately  associated,  and  I  have  learned  to  entertain 
for  them  and  their  work  the  highest  admiration. 
No  study  is  more  elevating  and  inspiring  than  astron- 
omy. It  may,  however,  be  questioned  whether,  viewed 
from  the  utilitarian  standpoint,  the  results  which  are 
being  achieved  by  it  are  as  valuable  to  mankind  as  those 
which  are  being  achieved  in  some  other  branches  of  re- 
search. In  proportion  to  the  large  expense  which  is 
necessary  in  order  to  add  a  little  to  our  knowledge  of 
the  distant  universe  what  may  be  learned  seems  to  be  of 
less  importance  to  humanity  than  the  knowledge  which 
remains  to  be  secured  nearer  at  hand  by  the  physicist, 
the  chemist,  the  geologist,  the  botanist,  and  the  zoologist. 
But  it  is  eight  bells  and  time  to  turn  in! 


1 

PQ 


o 


CHAPTER  V 

A  DAY  IN   BAlllA 

"  Yon  deep  bark  goes 

Where  traffic  blows, 
From  lands  of  sun  to  lands  of  snows ; 

This  happier  one 

Its  course  is  run 
From  lands  of  snow  to  lands  of  sun." 

T.  Huchanan  Read. 

C^^  the  morning  of  September  4th,  after  having 
^^  been  at  sea  for  fourteen  days,  we  found  ourselves 
approaching  the  broad  harbor  of  Bahia.  A  long  low 
point  of  land,  at  its  extremity  a  tall  lighthouse,  jutted 
out  into  the  sea  on  the  northern  side  of  the  entrance. 
Over  this  we  got  a  glimpse  of  the  roofs  and  towers  of 
the  city.  On  the  far-off  southern  side  of  the  harbor 
were  ranges  of  verdurous  hills,  which  gleamed  brightly 
in  the  sunrise.  Rounding  the  point  upon  which  the 
lighthouse  stands,  we  made  our  way  westward  and 
cast  anchor  before  the  to\\-n.  A  couple  of  forts,  one  of 
which  was  originally  built  by  the  Dutch  during  their 
occupation  of  the  country,  guard  the  roadstead.  The 
city  stretches  for  a  couple  of  miles  along  the  curving 
shore  of  the  bay,  and  is  divided  into  upper  and  lower 
sections.  The  lower  section  occupies  a  narrow  stretch 
along  the  water-front  and  is  raised  ohly  a  few  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Large  docks  are  in  process 
of  construction.     Behind  these  rise  warehouses,  banks, 

43 


44  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

and  office-buildings,  in  which  various  commercial 
firms  have  their  headquarters.  Towering  above  the 
lower  city  along  the  whole  front  of  the  harbor  is  a  steep 
escarpment  several  hundred  feet  in  height.  On  the 
upper  plateau,  separated  by  this  high  bluff  from  the 
lower  town,  is  the  residential  section.  Here  are  the 
homes  of  the  affluent,  and  also  of  many  of  the  poor. 
Here  is  the  cathedral,  and  here  are  many  churches, 
numerous  convents,  a  great  theater,  the  mint,  the 
palace  of  the  Governor,  the  medical  college,  and 
beautifully  arranged  parks.  Here,  too,  are  located 
many  of  the  better  shops,  where  goods  are  sold  at  retail. 
Access  to  the  upper  city  is  gained  by  circuitous  routes 
leading  around  the  great  wall  of  rock  which  faces  the 
harbor,  or  through  a  couple  of  deep  depressions  which 
interrupt  its  face.  These  longer  routes,  which  must  be 
employed  for  vehicular  traffic,  have  been  supplemented 
by  inclined  planes  and  a  great  double  elevator,  or  "  lift, " 
which  runs  both  by  day  and  by  night. 

We  went  ashore  in  sm.all  boats.  A  shower  of  rain 
swept  over  the  bay  as  we  left  the  ship,  but  was  instantly 
succeeded  by  bright  sunshine.  The  oarsmen  hoisted 
a  rude  sail  and  we  were  not  long  in  reaching  the  land. 
As  we  approached  the  dock  we  were  impressed  with  the 
scenic  charm  of  the  place.  The  great  cliffs  over- 
hanging the  red  roofs  of  the  lower  city  were  draped 
with  the  richest  tropical  verdure.  The  architecture  of 
the  houses  recalls  that  of  Lisbon  and  other  cities  of 
southern  Europe.  The  buildings  are  tall  and  narrow, 
five,  six,  and  even  seven  stories  high,  roofed  with  tiles. 
Across  the  water  came  the  sound  of  church-bells,  for  it 
was  a  day  of  festival. 

After  landing,  my  first  errand  was  at  the  bank,  for  as 
yet  I  had  none  of  the  money  of  the  country  in  my  pos- 


A  D:w  in  Rahi:i  45 

session,  and  without  money  the  path  of  the  traveler 
may  be  hard,  even  if  interesting.  It  is  i)lcasant  to 
read  books  describing  the  adventures  of  tramps  abroad, 
but  it  is  preferable  when  in  a  strange  land  to  have 
enough  change  to  enable  one  to  buy  a  banana,  if  de- 
sired. Brazilian  money  is  somewhat  anomalous,  though 
quite  logical.  The  unit  is  the  real,  which  is  equivalent 
in  value  to  about  iVo  of  a  mill  in  the  coinage  of  the 
United  States.  The  principal  coin  of  Brazil  is  the 
milreis  (a  thousand  reis),  a  piece  of  silver  worth  in 
exchange  thirty-one  cents  of  the  money  minted  in 
Philadelphia.  Five  hundred  reis  is  equivalent  to  I5>^ 
cents,  IOC)  reis  to  3|>  cents  of  our  coinage.  I  drew  ten 
pounds  sterling  on  my  letter  of  credit  and  found  myself 
the  proud  possessor  of  158,790  reis.  Here  appeared 
to  be  a  sudden  and  marvelous  accession  of  wealth,  but 
"riches  soon  take  to  themselves  wings  and  fly  away." 
There  is  another  side  to  the  story.  The  charge  for 
sending  a  cable  message  to  the  loved  ones  at  home, 
consisting  of  but  three  words,  was  9000  reis;  a  ticket 
in  the  elevator  which  took  me  to  the  upper  city  was 
100  reis;  and  the  conductor  of  the  tram-car  charged 
me  the  same  amount  for  carrying  me  about  ten  squares, 
when  I  got  to  the  top;  my  lunch  cost  me  5000  reis,  and 
it  was  very  simple  and  not  particularly  good,  consisting 
of  fruit,  a  leathery  omelet,  rolls,  and  coffee.  If  I  had 
grown  suddenly  rich,  I  began  to  grow  as  suddenly  iKK)r. 
In  the  United  States  it  is  said  that  jxKDple  have  in  re- 
cent years  come  "to  think  in  millions";  in  Brazil  they 
think  in  milreis.  The  sign  for  the  milreis  is  the  well- 
known  mark  of  the  dollar,  $.  It  is  at  first  blush  start- 
ling to  have  a  memorandum  presente(f  to  you  in  your 
hotel  after  breakfast,  stating  that  you  owe  for  your 
eggs  and  coffee  the  sum  of  3$ooo;   and  it  is  jx)sitively 


46  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

alarming  after  a  stay  of  five  days  to  have  a  bill  presented 
to  you  on  leaving  for  i  oo$ooo.  But  it  is  not  so  bad  as 
it  looks. 

While  attending  to  my  small  affairs  at  the  bank  and 
in  the  telegraph  office,  I  became  separated  from  my 
friends  who  had  come  on  shore  with  me.  They  told 
me  that  they  were  going  to  the  upper  city  and  would 
proceed  slowly,  so  that  I  could  overtake  them.  But 
they  had  vanished,  and  I  was  left  alone  "a  stranger  in 
a  strange  land."  Solitude,  however,  is  not  necessarily 
misery.  A  man  who  is  alone  can  often  learn  as  much 
as  one  who  is  attended  by  companions.  Making  sure 
that  I  had  lost  my  comrades,  I  boarded  the  street-car 
going  east,  and  resigned  myself  to  my  fate.  I  did  not 
know  the  amount  of  the  fare,  but  selected  the  smallest 
piece  of  coin  I  had,  400  reis,  and  gave  it  to  the  conductor, 
and  he  gave  me  back  300  reis  as  change.  How  far  the 
fare  would  have  carried  me  I  do  not  know,  but  we  had 
only  gone  a  short  distance  when  I  spied  the  entrance 
to  a  park.  I  beckoned  to  the  conductor;  he  rang  the 
bell;  the  car  stopped.  As  I  had  been  riding  along  the 
street  my  attention  was  attracted,  as  it  had  been  before, 
to  the  fact  that  most  of  the  people  appeared  to  be  of 
African  descent.  Bahia  is  in  fact  the  capital  of  the 
"Black  Belt"  of  Brazil.  It  is  said  that  in  the  interior 
of  the  state  of  Bahia  there  are  colonies  of  blacks  who 
have  reverted  to  the  ways  of  "darkest  Africa."  The 
streets,  filled  with  gaudily  clad  negresses  carrying 
their  burdens  upon  their  heads,  the  tropical  sunlight 
glowing  upon  the  walls,  the  rich,  luxuriant  vegeta- 
tion in  the  gardens,  brought  back  to  me  micmories 
of  northern  Africa.  Bahia  would  furnish  splendid 
studies  for  an  artist  who  revels  in  color.  From  this 
point  of  view  it  seemed  to  me  quite  as  attractive  as 


A  Day  in  Rahia 


47 


Tangier  and  similar  places  now  greatly  frequented  by 
painters. 

But  I  was  at  the  entrance  of  the  jjark  adjoining  the 
Governor's  palace.  It  is  located  on  the  very  edge  of  a 
steep  bluff  overlooking  the  city  and  the  bay.  The 
panorama  is  imposing.  After  wandering  along  the 
paved  walk,  protected  on  its  outer  edge  by  a  balustrade 
of  stone,  and  feasting  my  eyes  upon  the  prospect,  I 
turned  to  more  nearly  examine  the  various  growths 


Fig.  3. — Breadfruit    (('b  nat.  size).       Pig.  4- — Jack  fruit   (<*(>  nat.  size). 

about  me  and  to  observe  what  I  could  discover  of 
tropical  life.  At  the  lower  end  of  the  walk  stood  a 
number  of  fine  specimens  of  the  royal  palm  [Oreodoxa 
regia);  mimosas  overhung  the  path  with  their  delicate 
foliage,  decked  with  blossoms  looking  like  pompons 
of  yellow  silk.  There  were  parterres  of  flowers  and 
hedges  of  roses  in  full  bloom.  Here  and  there  a  yellow 
butterfly  (Catopsilia  eubule)  fluttered  about.  I  had, 
alas!  forgotten  to  bring  my  butterfly-net^  with  me,  but 
consoled  myself  with  the  reflection  that  the  species 
is  common,  and  occurs,  though  rarely,  even  in  Pennsyl- 
vania.    Among  the  trees  which  shaded  the  entrance 


48  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

to  the  park  were  a  number  of  large  specimens  of  the 
jack  tree  (Artocarpus  integrifolia) .  The  species  has 
been  introduced  into  the  American  tropics  from  the 
East  Indies.  It  is  closely  related  to  the  breadfruit 
(Artocarpiis  incisa),  which  was  introduced  from  the 
South  Sea  Islands,  and  has  become  universally  diffused 
in  the  West  Indies  and  the  northern  parts  of  South 
America.  The  leaves  of  the  breadfruit  are  very  broad 
and  palmately  incised,  the  leaves  of  the  jack  are  much 
smaller  and  entire.  The  fruit  of  Artocarpus  incisa 
is  about  the  size  of  the  head  of  a  child,  while  the  fruit 
of  Artocarpus  integrifolia,  which  grows  out  of  the  side 
of  the  trunk  or  the  larger  branches,  is  a  huge  thing,  as 
big  as  a  large  watermelon,  weighing  thirty  or  forty 
pounds.  The  flesh  of  the  jack  fruit  is  coarser  and  more 
woody  than  that  of  the  breadfruit,  and  not  so  palatable, 
though  I  must  confess  after  eating  roasted  breadfruit 
that  I  do  not  regard  it  as  a  very  choice  viand.  I  have 
eaten  things  I  liked  better.  From  the  trunks  of  the 
jack  trees  in  the  park  in  Bahia  were  hanging  several 
large  specimens  of  the  fruit,  at  which  I  gazed  with 
interest.  It  was  the  first  time  I  had  ever  seen  the 
plant  in  life.  In  a  fountain  in  the  park  were  a  couple 
of  small  alligators  and  a  big  turtle,  which  a  little 
mulatto  boy  was  teasing  with  a  long  stick. 

As  I  was  going  out  of  the  park  a  well-dressed  gentle- 
man came  toward  me,  and  I  ventured  to  accost  him  in  the 
French  language  and  inquire  whether  I  was  correct  in 
my  surmise  that  the  stately  building  at  the  entrance  was 
the  palace  of  the  Governor.  He  responded  courteously 
in  the  affirmative  and  volunteered  the  information 
that  he  himself  was  the  private  secretary  of  the  Gover- 
nor. We  stood  and  chatted  for  a  few  moments, 
I  told  him  that  I  wished  to  improve  my  few  hours  on 


A  Day  ill  Hahia  49 

shore  by  seeing  something  of  tropical  nature.  He  ad- 
vised me  to  take  a  certain  street-car,  the  directions 
for  reaching  which  he  kindly  gave  me,  and  by  that 
means  to  go  to  the  Vermilion  River,  a  favorite  bath- 
ing-resort by  the  side  of  the  sea.  I  thanked  him,  took 
his  advice,  and  was  well  repaid  for  so  doing. 

Leaving  the  iipj)er  plateau  covered  with  buildings, 
the  electric  tramway  descends  by  a  number  of  sharp 
turns  into  a  narrow  valley,  where  I  found  myself 
journeying  along  rapidly  under  a  growth  of  fine  troi)i- 
cal  trees.  After  a  while  we  emerged  from  the  shadow 
of  the  woodland  and  came  out  to  the  beach.  Here 
the  vermilion-colored  cliffs  were  bordered  by  a  strip  of 
clean  while  sand,  through  which  protruded  great  rocks 
clothed  with  seaweed  where  the  tide  reaches  them.  The 
blue  ocean  was  full  of  dancing  waves,  which  came  roll- 
ing ashore,  throwing  up  great  clouds  of  spray.  A 
headland  covered  with  stately  palms  jutted  out  to  the 
right,  its  red  cliffs  circled  below  with  a  wreath  of  white 
spume.  Hawks  and  vultures  were  lazily  sailing  in  the 
air.  A  fisherman  on  a  catamaran  was  plying  his 
calling  amidst  the  surf.  At  intervals  of  about  ten 
minutes  he  would  venture  out,  cast  his  throwing-net, 
and  then  ride  in  on  the  top  of  the  rollers,  bringing  in  his 
catch  of  fishes,  which  glittered  in  the  sunlight  as  if 
they  had  been  made  of  burnished  silver.  As  he  hauled 
his  rude  craft  ashore,  an  old  negro  crone,  only  a  little 
less  naked  than  the  man.  and  a  couple  of  children 
went  down  and  helped  him  to  disentangle  the  fishes 
from  the  net.  They  had  already  filled  several  large 
baskets.  The  fishes  seemed  all  to  be  of,  one  sf)ecies, 
allied  to  the  herrings  of  our  northern  waters.  But 
what  interested  me  most  was  to  find  the  beach  behind 
the  sandy  reaches  full  of  flowering  plants,  upon  which 


50  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

there  were  swarms  of  butterflies  and  other  insects, 
many  of  them  long  known  to  me  through  specimens 
preserved  in  my  cabinets,  but  which  I  here  for  the  first 
time  saw  upon  the  wing.  The  hour  I  had  at  my  com- 
mand was  all  too  short.  I  could  have  spent  days  here 
content  to  observe  the  ways  of  plants  and  insects, 
birds,  beasts,  and  men. 

I  returned  to  the  city  as  I  had  come,  glad  that  I  had 
at  last  seen  a  little  of  that  tropical  life  in  the  midst  of 
which  I  first  saw  the  light  of  day,  but  which  until  that 
moment  had  been  for  me  little  more  than  a  tradition 
handed  down  to  me  in  my  early  boyhood  by  my  father 
and  my  mother.  Here  everything  recalled  to  me  the 
tales  told  to  me  when  I  was  a  child  of  life  lived  in  an 
Antillean  Eden.  I  remembered  that  I  had  been  told 
when  a  child  that  my  nurse,  bearing  me  in  her  strong 
arms,  used  to  take  me  into  the  cane-field  and  pare  for 
me  a  joint  of  cane  that  I  might  enjoy  it.  More  than 
threescore  years  have  passed  since  then,  but  I  could 
not  resist  the  temptation  to  purchase  a  stick  of  cane 
from  a  passing  vender,  and,  paring  it,  I  tried  to  conjure 
up  a  vision  of  my  infancy  when  I  was  "little  massa. " 

Alighting  from  the  car  which  brought  me  back  from 
Vermilion  River  I  spied  a  party  of  my  shipmates  at 
luncheon  in  one  of  the  hotels ;  they  beckoned  to  me  and 
I  joined  them.  After  luncheon  we  undertook  a  round 
of  the  churches.  There  are  eighty-four  of  these,  most 
of  them  in  the  upper  city.  The  Church  of  San  Antonio 
first  claimed  our  attention.  It  is  a  large  building 
the  interior  of  which  is  elaborately  ornamented  by 
carvings  in  wood,  which  have  been  gilded.  They  are 
said  to  have  been  made  by  resident  monks,  who  spent 
a  vast  amount  of  time  in  planning  and  carrying  out 
the  designs.     The  effect  is  gorgeous,  but  not  otherwise 


A   n.i\    in  Hah  id  51 

impressive.  I  succeeded  in  gaining  admission  to  the 
private  quarters  occupied  as  offices,  meeting-rooms, 
and  librar>'  by  the  resident  clergy.  Here  were  some 
interesting  old  books,  pictures,  and  historical  relics 
which  appealed  to  my  fancy  more  than  did  the  heavily 
ornate  decorations  of  the  nave  and  chapels.  The 
minor  ecclesiastic  who  showed  me  around  and  explained 
everything  in  Portuguese  was  very  polite  and  obliging. 
I  spent  half  an  hour  with  him  and  regretted  that  I 
could  not  have  stayed  longer.  The  views  from  the 
windows  of  this  part  of  the  complex  of  buildings  are 
ver)'  charming,  and  I  sat  down  at  one  of  them  and  for 
a  few  moments  feasted  my  eyes  with  the  sight  of  the 
city  and  the  distant  hills. 

On  returning  from  the  little  tour  of  exploration  in  the 
hidden  parts  of  the  church,  I  again  found  that  I  had 
lost  my  companions,  and  forthwith  proceeded  to  visit 
one  or  two  other  churches,  which  were  said  to  be  worthy 
of  inspection.  But  to  one  who  is  familiar  with  the 
ecclesiastical  architecture  of  Europe,  who  has  studied 
the  cathedrals  of  England,  Germany,  France,  and 
Spain,  who  has  seen  St.  Peter's  in  Rome,  and  the  gor- 
geous basilicas  of  Moscow  and  St.  Petersburg,  the 
impression  left  upon  the  mind  by  the  churches  of  Bahia, 
some  of  which  date  back  for  a  couple  of  centuries, 
is  upon  the  whole  quite  disappointing.  Their  while- 
washed  exteriors,  standing  forth  with  dazzling  clearness 
against  the  deep  blue  sky  of  the  tropics,  are  certainly 
more  effective  from  an  artistic  standpoint  than  their 
interiors. 

Forsaking  the  task  of  exploring  churches,  I  betook 
myself  to  the  shops,  the  market-places,  the  streets, 
and  lanes.  There  was  little  here  which  was  attractive, 
but    much    to   interest.     The    goods    displayed    were 


52  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

principally,  if  not  entirely,  of  European  or  American 
manufacture.  The  great  majority  of  the  stores  or 
shops  consist  of  a  single  room  with  a  high  ceiling,  open- 
ing out  to  the  street,  as  do  the  shops  in  Spain  and 
North  Africa.  At  times  I  could  almost  imagine  myself 
back  again  in  Granada  or  Tangier.  The  merchants 
sit  surrounded  by  their  wares  at  their  elbows;  the 
artisans,  the  cobbler,  the  cabinet-maker,  the  book- 
binder, the  printer,  work  in  full  view  of  the  passers-by, 
and  exchange  greetings  and  carry  on  conversations 
with  the  people  who  loiter  past  the  open  front  of  the 
little  rooms  which  they  occupy.  Some  of  the  lanes  are 
almost  as  narrow  as  in  an  old  Moorish  town,  and  once 
I  had  to  step  aside  as  a  street  peddler  came  along 
with  his  donkey  bearing  a  pair  of  panniers  contain- 
ing the  wares  which  he  was  retailing.  The  incident 
suggested  the  Orient. 

I  noted  the  fact  that  there  was  nothing  in  the  way  of 
manufactured  articles  which  might  be  regarded  as 
characteristic  of  the  country,  and  used  as  souvenirs 
of  my  visit.  The  absence  of  artistic  instincts  among 
the  craftsmen  struck  me.  It  is  so  totally  unlike  what 
is  seen  under  like  conditions,  in  many  similar  places 
in  Italy,  France,  and  more  particularly  in  Japan.  It 
might  be  imagined  that  in  a  land  which  is  rich  in  its 
products,  and  where  the  necessities  of  life  are  easily 
supplied,  the  consequent  leisure  would  lead  to  activities 
along  artistic  lines,  but  the  impulse  is  apparently 
lacking.  Something  more  than  idleness  and  pictur- 
esque surroundings  is  necessary  to  awaken  artistic 
yearnings  and  activities.  The  decorative,  imitative,  and 
interpreting  spirit  must  exist  in  the  blood  of  a  people. 
Environment  alone  will  not  produce  them.  Africa 
since  the  days  of  the  Pharaohs  has  not  shone  resplen- 


View  of  Bahia  Looking  down  from  th*.-  Biilcony  of  the  Elevator  in  the 

Upper  City. 


latehor  of  Church  of  San  Antonio,  Bahia. 


A  Day  in  Bahia  53 

dently  in  the  annals  of  art.  Portugal  has  produced  few 
painters  and  sculptors;  you  could  count  them  on  your 
fingers.  The  people  of  Bahia,  representing  in  great 
part  the  blood  of  Angola,  or  other  West  African  coun- 
tries, or  the  commingling  of  African  blood  with  that 
of  Portuguese  sailors  and  adventurers,  is  ciualificd  for 
exertion  along  many  useful  lines,  but  the  imitative 
arts  have  not  up  to  the  present  time  taken  deep  root. 
There  may  come  a  change  in  the  future;  but  it  will 
be  by  a  process  of  instillation,  rather  than  education, 
and  the  result  in  the  event  will  probably  not  be  epoch- 
making. 

There  are  no  arrangements  in  Bahia  for  warming  the 
houses.  None  are  needed.  It  is  always  summer  in 
Bahia.  The  kitchen  is  the  only  place  where  fire  is 
required,  and  the  furniture  for  cooking  in  the  homes 
of  the  common  p>eople  is  ver>^  primitive.  Wood  and 
charcoal  are  the  fuel  employed.  I  saw  negroes  carr>'- 
ing  fagots  of  firewood  tied  in  bundles  and  fixed  as  huge 
loads  upon  their  backs,  just  as  they  do  in  Morocco,  or 
as  I  have  seen  f>oor  peasants  in  the  south  of  France 
performing  the  same  service. 

As  there  is  little  need  of  fire,  so  there  is  little  need  of 
clothing,  except  for  purposes  of  ornament.  In  the 
case  of  the  juvenile  population  among  the  poorer 
classes  the  necessity  for  other  apparel  than  that  pro- 
vided by  kindly  Nature  is  apparently  not  recognized. 
I  passed  a  number  of  houses,  where  the  younger  chil- 
dren were  playing  ifi  puris  naturalibus.  Thus  arrayed 
they  even  appeared  upon  the  streets,  and  I  saw  one 
fond  mother  leading  along  the  sidewalk  two  little 
figures  in  bronze,  which  might  have  served  as  models 
for  Cupids. 

The  discovery  of  Brazil  was  made  by  Pedro  Alvarez 


54  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

Cabral  on  March  9,  1500,  although  Pinzon  in  January 
of  the  same  year  had  sighted  land  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Cape  St.  Roque.  Cabral  made  his  landfall  at  a 
point  which  is  now  included  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
Province  of  Bahia.  He  thought  the  land  to  be  an 
island  and  called  it  the  Island  of  the  True  Cross,  a  name 
which  did  not  stick.  Cabral's  discovery  was  quickly 
followed  by  the  sending  of  fleets  to  possess  the  coimtry, 
but,  as  no  gold  was  found,  there  ensued  disappointment. 
The  only  thing  of  apparent  value  which  was  discovered 
was  dye-wood,  known  then  and  now  as  "brazil-wood," 
and  this  wood  gave  its  name  to  the  country.  Vessels 
were  sent  out  to  get  brazil-wood  and  the  "Brazil- 
coast"  soon  became  known.  The  first  European 
settler  was  Diego  Alvarez,  who  was  a  deserter  from  one 
of  the  ships  which  had  gone  out  to  get  dye-wood.  He 
established  himself  in  1509  at  Bahia,  and  saved  him- 
self from  being  eaten  by  the  cannibal  Indians  by  the  use 
of  his  musket.  The  Indians  nicknamed  him  "Cara- 
muru  "  or  "  the  lightning  man . ' '  Eventually  he  married 
the  daughter  of  a  chief  and  had  a  brood  of  mestizos  by 
her.  Forty  years  afterwards  the  first  real  colonists 
of  Bahia  appeared  and  the  half-breed  descendants  of 
Alvarez  were  of  great  service  to  them  in  dealing  with 
the  Indians. 

Founded  in  1549,  until  1763  Bahia  was  the  capital 
of  Brazil.  Not  long  ago  it  was  regarded  as  the  second 
city  of  the  country  in  commercial  importance;  but 
during  the  past  three  decades  it  has  been  outstripped 
by  Sao  Paulo.  The  population  of  Bahia  has  more 
than  doubled  since  1890  and  is  said  to  exceed  two  hun- 
dred thousand ;  but  that  of  Sao  Paulo  in  the  same  time 
has  quintupled  and  is  now  over  four  hundred  thousand. 
The  growth  of  these  South  American  cities  in  recent 


A  Dav  ill  Rahia  55 

years  has  boon  ciuiic  as  rapid  as  that  of  the  cities  of 
the  United  States. 

Bahia  during  the  more  than  three  hundred  and  fifty 
years  of  its  existence  has  witnessed  many  stirring  scenes. 
On  May  9,  1624,  Piet  Ileyn,  "the  Dutch  Sir  Francis 
Drake,"  took  Bahia  from  the  Spaniards,  who,  having 
annexed  Portugal,  claimed  and  held  the  place  at  that 
time.  The  capture  of  Bahia  was  a  daring  exploit,  and 
was  accomplished  by  Heyn  in  a  hand-to-hand  conflict 
against  apparently  overwhelming  odds.  The  following 
year  a  combined  fleet  of  Spanish  and  Portuguese 
ships,  fifty-two  in  number,  armed  with  eleven  hundred 
and  eighty-five  gims  and  carrying  twelve  thousand 
five  hundred  men,  was  sent  to  recapture  the  place,  and 
succeeded.  The  fleet  was  the  most  formidable  sent 
out  by  Spain  since  the  days  of  the  Grand  Armada.  The 
valiant  Dutch  commander  of  the  garrison,  Jan  van 
Dorth,  had  been  killed  in  a  skirmish  before  the  arrival 
of  the  Spaniards.  His  successors  were  incapable,  and 
though  a  strong  Dutch  fleet  was  on  the  way  to  rein- 
force Bahia,  they  came  too  late,  for  the  garrison  had 
already  surrendered.  Then  in  1627  Piet  Heyn  came 
back.  He  had  a  vastly  inferior  force,  but  he  was  a  man 
who  did  not  know  fear.  He  sailed  into  the  harbor 
in  the  teeth  of  the  forts.  He  ran  his  ship  between  the 
two  biggest  Portuguese  men-of-war,  and  when  the  gun- 
ners on  shore  slacked  their  fire  for  fear  of  hurting  their 
own  countrymen,  the  intrepid  Dutchman  proceeded 
then  and  there  to  sink  the  flagship  of  the  Admiral,  and 
captured  the  rest  of  the  fleet  of  twenty-seven  sail 
lying  under  the  gims  of  the  place.  For  a  while  he 
roamed  up  and  down  the  coast  destroying  or  capturing 
everv*  craft  which  flew  the  Spanish  or  Portuguese  flag, 
and  then  returned  to  Holland  u-ith  so  much  booty  in 


56  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

the  form  of  thousands  of  hogsheads  of  sugar  and  ship- 
loads of  hides  that  the  coffers  of  the  Dutch  West 
India  Company  were  enriched,  and  the  Directors  were 
able  to  send  him  out  on  an  expedition  to  the  Caribbean. 
In  the  fall  of  the  year  1628  he  captured  in  the  Bay  of 
Matanzas  the  great  treasure-fleet  of  Spain  carrying 
cargoes  appraised  at  nearly  fifteen  millions  of  florins, 
and  dealt  a  deadly  blow  to  the  sea-power  of  that  country, 
which  so  long  had  been  trying  to  strangle  the  liberties 
of  the  Dutch. 

From  1623  until  1647  the  Dutch  were  more  or  less 
securely  intrenched  at  various  points  along  the  Brazilian 
coast  from  Cape  St.  Roque  to  Bahia,  and  at  one  time 
it  seemed  that  they  would  be  left  the  masters  of  the 
situation ;  but  political  changes  in  Europe,  mistakes  in 
the  administration  of  the  Dutch  West  India  Company, 
and  the  revival  of  the  power  of  Portugal,  led  to  their 
final  overthrow.  There  are  still  many  people  who 
to-day  express  regret  that  the  Dutch  did  not  perma- 
nently occupy  the  country,  and  a  prominent  citizen  of 
Bahia,  with  whom  I  conversed,  said  to  me  that  in  his 
judgment  it  would  have  been  a  great  blessing  for  the 
land  had  the  States  General  of  Holland  been  by  a 
kindly  Providence  assigned  the  task  of  developing  the 
region  and  its  institutions.  It  was,  however,  ordained 
otherwise. 


4>         X 


O        ;i 


('iiAi^ri:R  \'i 

RIO  DE  JANEIRO 

Hail  I  City  of  the  tropic  seas, 

Queen  of  the  headlands,  veiled  in  light, 
PillowcHl  among  thy  ptirpIiiiK  i>eiiks, 

SunMlcrked.  and  rolK<l  in  white! 
Thy  feel  are  laved  by  Ocean  old. 

Thy  head  is  crowned  with  Moom, 
And  Flora  from  her  cups  of  gold 

Pours  o'er  thee  rich  perfume. 

OX  the  morning  of  September  the  7th  wc  came  in 
sight  of  the  mountains  which  guard  the  coast 
just  north  of  Rio  de  Janeiro.  They  are  bold  in  outhne 
and  their  precipitous  walls  of  rock  in  places  rise  up 
grandly  from  the  ocean.  At  the  openings  of  valleys 
were  narrow  strips  of  level  land  covered  with  forests. 
Occasionally  a  clearing  and  human  habitations  could 
be  seen,  and  here  and  there  were  white  beaches  against 
which  the  surf  lazily  rolled.  Fishermen  in  small 
boats  were  plying  their  business  on  the  smooth  waters. 
A  monastery  on  a  little  rocky  islet  not  far  from  the 
shore  attracted  attention.  The  forests  of  palms 
crowding  to  the  edge  of  the  water  reminded  us  that 
we  were  still  in  the  heart  of  the  tropics.  At  last  we 
turned  in  nearer  to  the  coast.  A  crag,  so  steep  that  it 
looked  as  if  a  goat  would  have  diffirulty  in  obtaining 
a  foothold  upon  its  lower  slopes,  rose  above  us.     Beyond 

57 


58  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

it  was  a  small  island  topped  with  palms.  Still  farther 
south,  above  the  blue  horizon,  serried  peaks  guarded  the 
dim  distance.  The  bow  of  the  great  ship  swung  closer 
in  shore,  and  was  pointed  toward  the  spot  where  the 
palm-clad  island  and  the  tall  crag  seemed  to  meet. 
It  almost  looked  as  if  we  were  going  to  run  ashore,  but 
the  big  man  with  the  kindly  face  up  on  the  bridge  knows 
the  coast.  He  has  brought  ships  in  and  out  of  these 
rocky  inlets  for  forty  years,  and  understands  his 
business.  The  ship  does  not  slacken  her  speed,  but 
rounding  the  foot  of  the  crag,  passes  through  a  narrow 
entrance,  coming  so  close  to  the  island  that  the  waves 
which  she  throws  up  chase  after  each  other  and  dash 
in  long  lines  against  the  rocks.  We  are  so  near  that  we 
can  do  a  little  botanizing  and  with  the  naked  eye  can 
make  out  the  species  of  the  trees  before  us.  Suddenly 
a  noble  panorama  is  disclosed.  Tall  hills  on  the  right 
are  topped  in  the  distance  by  taller  mountains.  Dead 
ahead  is  Sugar  Loaf,  a  huge  cone  of  granite,  rising,  a 
great  monolith,  from  the  quiet  water.  Back  of  it  in 
the  blue  distance  are  Corcovado  and  Tijuca,  their 
slender  peaks  pointing  into  the  sky,  "the  fingers  of 
God,"  as  the  natives  call  them.  A  rock  which  looks 
like  the  hull  of  a  ship  which  has  "turned  turtle  "  lies 
on  the  port  bow.  Ahead  of  us  is  a  city,  its  towers  and 
palaces  showing  white  in  the  sunlight  against  the  dark 
green  of  the  mountains  behind  it.  Scores  of  steamers 
are  lying  at  anchor,  among  them,  clad  in  mail,  two 
huge  dreadnoughts.  We  are  in  the  harbor  of  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  the  most  beautiful  harbor  in  all  the  world. 
As  we  came  up  through  the  narrow  entrance  a  pufT 
of  white  smoke  rolled  from  the  embrasure  of  a  fort  at 
the  right,  and  was  followed  by  a  hollow  boom,  which 
reechoed  from  the  cliffs.     The  discharge  was  repeated 


I 


Rio  dc  Janeiro  59 

again  and  again.  And  then  we  saw  that  over  the  low 
rock  ahead  a  Hag  was  flying,  and  we  made  out  openings 
in  its  sides,  and  presently  from  these  the  fire  spat  and 
the  smoke  poured.  Other  forts,  here,  there,  every- 
where began  to  thunder.  It  was  exactly  noon.  What 
did  this  cannonading  mean?  Oh!  it  was  only  the  sign 
of  popular  rejoicing.  The  7th  of  September  is  the 
national  holiday  of  Brazil  and  corresponds  to  the 
4th  of  July  in  the  United  States.  It  was  Independ- 
ence Day.  We  were  running  the  forts  at  the  entrance 
without  being  "stormed  at  by  shot  and  shell."  The 
smoke  of  the  cannonade  drifted  out  over  the  channel 
and  became  so  thick  that  it  partly  hid  from  view  the 
city  and  the  shipping  in  the  distance.  We  had  chosen 
a  fine  day  on  which  to  make  our  landing.  Rio  de 
Janeiro  was  en  fete,  and  as  we  emerged  from  the  veil 
of  the  powder-smoke  wc  saw  that  the  men-of-war  were 
gaily  dressed  with  flags;  we  saw  that  every  ship  at  an- 
chor was  flying  the  colors  of  Brazil ;  wc  heard  the  sound 
of  martial  music  coming  from  the  shore;  bands  were 
plajHng;  rockets  were  banging;  and  firecrackers  were 
snapping  cvcr>' where.  These  Brazilians  celebrate  their 
"Seventh"  with  as  much  noise  as  we  celebrate  our 
"Fourth."  And  now  the  screw  has  stopped;  we  begin 
to  move  slowly  and  more  slowly  still.  As  we  hang  over 
the  rail  we  can  at  last  scarcely  detect  any  motion. 
"  Let  go ! "  comes  the  command.  A  hoarse  roar  of  chains 
at  the  bow!  a  splash!  we  are  at  anchor!  Before  us  lies 
the  capital  of  Brazil. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  stevedores  at  Santos  were 
on  a  strike  our  captain  had  received  'instructions  to 
discharge  the  cargo  intended  for  Santos  at  Rio.  We 
were  accordingly  informed  that  we  would  make  a  stay 
of  from  four  to  five  days,  and  I  therefore  determined  to 


6o  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

leave  the  ship  and  go  ashore.  A  strong  argument  for 
this  course  was  the  fact  that  I  had  discovered  at  Bahia 
that  immediately  over  my  cabin  there  was  a  steam- 
winch,  which  would  be  in  operation  both  by  day  and 
by  night.  Proximity  to  this  noisy  monster  would  make 
sleep  on  board  impossible.  When  selecting  cabins  for 
a  coasting  cruise,  let  me  recommend  fellow-travelers 
to  look  out  well  for  the  location  of  the  winches.  A 
winch  overhead  is  worse  than  nightmare. 

We  had  scarcely  come  to  anchor  when  we  were  sur- 
rounded on  all  sides  by  small  rowboats  and  lighters. 
One  of  them  brought  a  man  who  ran  up  the  ladder,  and 
called  out  my  name.  It  was  startling.  Fancy  at 
once  conjured  up  visions.  Could  he  have  some  dread 
message  to  convey  to  me  which  had  come  from  far  off, 
under  the  seas?  I  was  speedily  relieved  and  reminded 
that  two  days  before  I  had  sent  from  the  ship  a  Marconi- 
gram  asking  that  a  room  be  reserved  for  me  at  one  of 
the  hotels.  The  man  who  sought  me  was  the  messenger 
of  the  house,  who  came  to  inform  me  that  the  only 
vacant  room  was  at  my  disposal,  and  to  help  me  on 
shore  with  my  luggage.  I  was  glad  that  I  had  sent 
my  message.  There  are  numerous  excellent  hotels  in 
the  city  of  Rio  de  Janeiro,  located  on  the  main  avenues, 
but,  as  a  naturalist,  I  wished  to  be  a  little  nearer 
Nature's  heart  than  I  could  be  in  these,  and  therefore, 
on  the  advice  of  friends,  had  selected  a  hotel  which 
was  in  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  half-way  up  the  flank 
of  Corcovado  and  embowered  among  the  rich  forests 
of  its  slopes.  It  was  for  me  a  happy  choice,  and  a  happy 
chance  that  my  message  had  found  its  way  through 
the  air  when  it  did. 

Leaving  the  care  of  my  luggage  to  the  courier  of  the 
hotel,  I  joined  a  large  company  of  my  fellow-passengers 


Rio  dc  Janeiro  6i 

in  boarding  a  steam-launch,  wliich  quickly  put  us 
ashore.  A  tram-car  conveyed  us  to  the  terminal  station 
of  the  electric  railway,  which  ascends  the  slopes  of  the 
mountain  and  by  which  my  destination  could  be  most 
speedily  reached.  The  cars  are  open,  permitting  the 
passengers  to  see  everything.  After  a  little  delay  we 
were  off.  The  road  rises  rajiidly.  In  half  a  minute 
we  were  flying  along  on  a  level  with  the  roof  of  the 
great  opera-house  and  many  of  the  most  imposing 
edifices  of  the  lower  city.  Then  we  sped  over  the  arches 
of  the  old  aqueduct  built  by  the  Jesuit  Fathers  more 
than  one  hundred  years  ago.  Under  us  were  busy 
streets  and  flat-roofed  houses  which  fill  a  narrow  but 
densely  populated  valley.  The  tops  of  four  or  five 
lordly  palms  rise  to  the  level  of  the  tracks,  and  we  were 
almost  near  enough  to  touch  their  feathery-  fronds 
waving  in  the  sunlight.  Having  crossed  the  aqueduct, 
the  road  ascends  the  hillside  and  winds  upward,  past 
beautiful  villas  embowered  in  gardens,  rich  in  flowers. 
The  poinsettia  flaunts  its  crimson  bracts  over  the  walls; 
bougainvilleas  in  sheeted  masses  of  purple  blossoms, 
more  splendid  than  the  robes  of  an  emperor,  cover 
arched  gateways;  a  score  of  species  of  palms,  consi)icu- 
ous  among  them  the  royal  palm,  raise  their  stately 
columns,  fifty,  seventy,  and  one  hundred  feet  into  the 
warm  air;  the  perfume  of  bkxDming  orange-groves 
invades  the  senses.  The  road  winds  to  the  right  and 
to  the  left,  at  each  turn  disclosing  a  new  outlook  over 
the  harbor,  the  tree-clad  hills,  the  mountains  encircling 
the  horizon.  Every  view  is  a  picture  of  transcendent 
loveliness.  Higher  and  higher  we  rise.  At  last  we 
I)lungc  under  the  shadow  of  great  trees  loaded  with 
orchids  and  freighted  with  pendant  lianes.  We  are 
in  the  midst  of  the  tro[)ical  forest.     We  look  down  into 


62  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

deep  ravines  where  the  sunHght  gHmmers  on  the  tops 
of  tree-ferns  and  feathery  bamboos,  where  the  monarchs 
of  the  forest  have  clothed  themselves  in  bloom,  white, 
purple,  yellow ;  where  birds  of  gorgeous  plumage  flash 
from  branch  to  branch ;  where  great  blue  morphos,  the 
jewels  of  the  world  of  butterflies,  gleam  like  huge 
sapphires  as  they  lazily  float  upward  and  downward 
and  are  then  lost  to  view  in  the  deep  umbrageous 
recesses.  A  glimpse  at  this  world  of  wonders  and  the 
car  stops  at  the  entrance  to  the  elevator,  which  quickly 
raises  us  to  the  outer  courtyard  of  the  hotel,  which  is  to 
be  our  home  for  four  memorable  days.  We  find  our- 
selves in  an  abode  of  comfort,  with  the  forest  all  about 
us,  but  through  the  setting  of  its  walls  of  green  disclos- 
ing magnificent  views  of  the  distant  city,  the  bay,  and 
the  mountains.  Here  I  rejoice  at  the  thought  of 
"taking  mine  ease  in  my  inn,"  and  here  I  am  happy 
to  find  a  place  from  which  to  sally  forth  into  the 
tropical  "Urwald. " 

It  only  took  me  a  minute  or  two  to  deposit  my 
impedimenta  in  my  room,  to  fling  open  the  shutters, 
and  to  see  that  the  windows  commanded  a  most  noble 
view,  and  then  to  unpack  my  insect-nets  and  other 
paraphernalia  of  the  entomological  chase.  It  was  near 
the  middle  of  the  afternoon  and  rather  late  for  an  ento- 
mological foray,  but  the  temptation  could  not  be  resisted. 
My  path  led  me  upward  through  the  grounds  of  the 
hotel,  amid  gardens  and  orange-groves ;  upward  through 
copses  and  thickets;  upward  by  a  path  at  the  end  of 
which  I  found  that  an  observation-tower  had  been 
kindly  built ;  and  climbing  its  stairway  I  seated  myself, 
tired  of  the  stiff  climb  and  ready  in  the  warm  light  of 
the  declining  day  to  yield  myself  to  the  enchanting 
influences  of   my  surroundings.      Overhead   soared  a 


Rio  (Ic  l.uiciri)  (^3 

score  of  vultures;  near  by  in  the  trees  several  sjx'cies 
of  cicadas  were  singing  their  vcsi)ers ;  that  gaudy,  noisy, 
and  popular  South  American  songster,  the  Bienteveo 
{Pitangus  boliviauus^  was  calling  from  tree  to  tree;  a 
dozen  birds,  all  of  them  strangers  to  me  in  life,  were 
flitting  about  and  making  the  gardens  vocal  with  song. 
Far  away  was  the  blue  horizon  of  the  ocean ;  the  shining 
roadstead  of  the  harbor  gleamed  brightly  under  the 
westering  sun;  all  around  the  strange  huge  bulks  of 
the  mighty  cliffs  and  escarpments,  recalling  the  bold 
faces  of  the  mountains  which  encircle  the  \'alley  of  the 
Yosemite,  loomed  skyward.  The  distant  booming  of 
cannon,  the  faint  jangling  of  bells,  the  noises  of  rejoicing 
in  the  city  came  softly  to  the  ear.  It  was  delightful 
to  sit  in  the  waning  light  of  a  lovely  sunset,  amidst  the 
languorous  tropical  air,  and  in  solitude  drink  in  deeply 
the  impressions  of  the  hour. 

I  was  roused  from  my  reveries  by  a  droning  beetle, 
which  wavered  a  moment  in  its  flight,  and  fell  a  victim 
to  my  net.  I  realized  that  out  of  the  herbage  around 
me  were  issuing  the  swarms  of  insects  which  emerge 
at  dusk.  The  electric  lights  about  the  hotel  were  already 
beginning  to  twinkle.  I  made  my  way  downward  by  the 
path  I  had  come,  and  found  myself  presently  under  the 
electric  lamps  busily  engaged  in  sweeping  into  my  net 
beautiful  creatures,  large  and  small,  some  of  which  I 
knew  at  a  glance  as  old  friends  and  others  I  recognized 
as  forms  which  were  strange  to  me.  At  the  dinner 
table  the  attention  of  the  throng  of  fashionably  dressed 
ladies  and  gentlemen  was  attracted  to  a  large  moth, 
brilliantly  colored,  which  came  flutteriiTg  about  the 
tables.  I  slipped  into  the  hall  and  seized  my  net,  and 
as  the  gay  insect  came  by,  with  a  quick  stroke  captured 
it;    I  was  greeted  with  a  salvo  of  apjilause  from  the 


64  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

assembled  guests,  and  immediately  found  them  all  to 
be  most  kindly  interested  in  my  entomological  pursuits. 
One  lady  came  to  me  and  informed  me  that  if  I  would 
go  to  one  of  the  upper  corridors  I  would  find  a  large 
moth  resting  in  a  comer  where  she  had  observed  it 
before  coming  down  to  dinner.  Two  little  misses 
tripped  up  to  me  and  told  me  that  I  must  go  to  the  big 
electric  lamp  at  the  comer  of  the  hotel,  where  I  would 
find  a  half-dozen  moths  resting  on  the  wall.  The 
manager  and  the  waiters  came  to  my  assistance  and 
informed  me  of  discoveries  which  they  had  made,  and 
from  nine  until  eleven  o'clock  I  worked  industriously, 
accumulating  a  large  number  of  specimens  of  beautiful 
tropical  lepidoptera,  which  it  took  me  until  midnight 
to  put  into  papers  for  safe-keeping.  It  certainly  was 
for  a  veteran  entomologist  an  evening  of  unalloyed 
pleasiire.  And  like  it  were  all  the  evenings  of  my  brief 
stay  in  this  interesting  spot. 

On  the  morning  of  the  next  day  when  I  awoke  after 
a  refreshing  sleep  I  lay  for  a  few  moments  gazing  out  of 
the  tall  windows,  which  reached  from  the  floor  to  the 
ceiling.  In  the  far  distance  I  heard  the  tooting  of 
locomotives  and  the  deep  growl  of  a  big  steamer 
signaling  her  departure;  near  at  hand  I  heard  the 
twittering  of  sparrows  about  the  eaves,  the  sharp 
eager  notes  of  swallows  circling  through  the  air,  the 
call  of  the  Bienteveo,  and  the  warbling  of  a  thrush. 
Light  fleecy  clouds  were  hovering  about  the  wooded 
peaks.  I  sprang  up  and  looked  down  with  delight  upon 
the  world  robed  in  green.  It  was  Amerigo  Vespucci 
who  said  that  "  if  Paradise  exists  on  this  planet  it  must 
be  near  the  Brazilian  coasts."  Of  all  that  coast  the 
most  beautiful  portion  lies  around  the  great  estuary  on 
which  Rio  de  Janeiro  stands. 


Rio  de  Janeiro  65 

I  had  set  apart  this  day  for  a  visit  to  the  city.  I 
resolved  that  I  would  begin  by  callin^j  upon  Dr.  Urville 
A.  Derby,  the  Director  of  the  Geological  Survey  of 
the  country.  Dr.  Derby  holds  an  enviable  position 
among  the  citizens  of  the  Brazilian  metropolis,  where 
he  has  resided  for  forty  years.  He  was  one  of  the  trusted 
scientific  advisers  of  the  late  Emperor,  Dom  Pedro  II., 
and  has  been  active  both  under  the  empire  and  the 
republic  in  developing  the  resources  of  the  land, 
which  he  has  made  his  home.  His  unfailing  kindness 
to  men  of  science  who  visit  Brazil,  and  his  great  learning 
have  won  for  him  a  host  of  admiring  friends,  and  I 
felt  that  it  was  a  privilege  as  well  as  a  duty  to  call  ujjon 
him  to  express  in  person  my  cordial  appreciation  of 
the  services  he  had  rendered  to  Mr.  John  D.  Haseman, 
whom  the  Carnegie  Institute  sent  to  Brazil  in  1908, 
and  who  for  nearly  three  years  had  served  us  there  as 
a  field  naturalist,  making  many  interesting  discoveries. 

I  found  Dr.  Derby  at  the  hotel  where  he  resides, 
and  at  leisure  for  the  day.  We  lunched  together, 
and  my  host  exerted  himself  to  select  from  the  volumin- 
ous bill  of  fare  viands  characteristic  of  the  country. 
Among  other  things  we  had  some  delicious  shrimps 
fresh  from  the  sea,  quite  equal  in  flavor  to  the  best 
New  England  lobsters.  We  had  boiled  cabbage-palm 
and  fried  plantains,  dishes  not  known  outside  of  the 
tropics.  The  Brazilian  cheese  was  very  g(xid,  and  I 
was  informed  that  dairy  products  are  beginning  to  be 
exported  in  considerable  quantities  from  Rio  de  Janeiro. 
The  coffee  was  veritable  nectar.  Three-fourths  of  the 
coffee  consumed  by  mankind  comes  from  Brazil,  and 
the  art  of  brewing  a  good  cup  of  coffee  is  certainly 
understood  in  Rio. 

.\fter  luncheon  we  repaired  to  the  Geological  Museimi, 


66  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

where  my  learned  companion  showed  me  the  collections 
representing  the  minerals  and  fossils  of  the  various 
formations  which  he  has  been  assembling  for  many 
years.  He  conducted  me  through  the  laboratories; 
and  I  was  deeply  interested  in  a  number  of  fine  relief 
maps  which  he  has  prepared  or  has  in  process  of  pre- 
paration. An  unfinished  relief  of  very  large  size, 
showing  the  whole  of  Brazil,  adjusted  to  the  curvature 
of  a  globe  of  immense  size,  particularly  attracted  me. 
I  was  also  very  glad  to  see  a  relief  map  of  Rio  de  Janeiro 
and  its  environs  and  to  receive  from  Dr.  Derby  a  most 
interesting  and  instructive  account  of  the  geology  of  the 
district.  We  talked  about  the  mines,  of  precious 
stones  and  metals,  and  of  the  coal-fields  of  Brazil. 
The  question  of  a  fuel  supply  is  one  of  great  importance 
in  all  of  the  South  American  countries.  The  coal  at 
present  used  is  imported  from  overseas.  The  deposits 
of  coal  in  Brazil  thus  far  discovered  are  not  extensive 
in  area  and  are  of  inferior  quality,  though  by  proper 
treatment  it  is  believed  that  these  Brazilian  coals  may 
be  utilized  to  advantage.  However,  the  development 
of  railways  is  likely  to  be  much  retarded  by  the  lack 
of  cheap  fuel.  To  sacrifice  the  great  forests  of  valuable 
woods  to  the  devouring  maws  of  steam-engines  would 
be  a  frightful  act  of  vandalism.  Fortunately,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  and  other  cities  in  Brazil 
there  are  fine  waterfalls,  and  these  are  being  harnessed 
and  used  in  the  service  of  the  electric  railways.  On  the 
broad  plains  of  the  south  and  the  interior  such  sources 
of  power  are  of  course  lacking.  There  are  reported  to 
be  extensive  beds  of  coal  in  Bolivia,  but  as  yet  they  are 
wholly  inaccessible,  though  the  problem  of  reaching 
them  is  attracting  attention. 

After  leaving  the  Museum  of  Geology  we  repaired  to 


The  Avenue  of  Royal  Palms  in  the  Botanical  Garden,  Rio  de  Janeiro. 


I 


Rio  tic  ).inciro  67 

the  Botanical  Garden.  Calling  at  the  house  of  the 
Director  we  learned  to  our  regret  that  he  was  not  at 
home,  and  proceeded  in  a  leisurely  manner  to  walk 
through  the  park,  in  which  is  gathered  one  of  the  most 
superb  collections  of  tropical  vegetation  which  exists. 
The  chief  glory  of  this  wonderful  garden  is  found  in  the 
avenues  of  royal  palms,  some  of  which  have  survived 
the  vicissitudes  of  a  century  and  still  are  apparently 
filled  with  pristine  vigor,  sending  their  columns  aloft 
into  the  air,  great  rounded  shafts  of  supple  wood, 
crowned  with  huge  coronets  of  exquisite  foliage.  We 
lingered  in  the  garden  until  it  was  nearly  dusk,  and 
then  repaired  in  company  to  my  hotel  upon  the  moun- 
tain side,  and  until  nearly  midnight  sat  and  talked  of 
mutual  friends  who  are  leaders  in  scientific  research,  and 
of  the  great  future  that  lies  before  Brazil,  destined  with- 
in the  next  two  hundred  years  to  be  the  home  of  one  of 
the  greatest  nations  upon  the  globe.  We  parted  with 
the  promise  that  on  the  evening  of  the  morrow  we  would 
go  together  and  visit  the  house  of  a  friend  who  has  the 
largest  collection  of  butterflies  in  tropical  America. 


CHAPTER  VII 

RAMBLES  ABOUT  RIO  DE  JANEIRO 

"  Father,  thy  hand 
Hat'i  reared  these  venerable  columns.     Thou 
Didst  weave  this  verdant  roof.     Thou  didst  look  down 
Upon  the  naked  earth,  and  forthwith  rose 
All  these  fair  ranks  of  trees." 

W.  C.  Bryant. 

THE  days  of  my  stay  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  which  suc- 
ceeded that  first  day,  passed  so  pleasantly  in  the 
company  of  Dr.  Derby,  were  devoted  in  part  to  sight- 
seeing in  the  town,  and  in  part  to  long  rambles  among 
the  tropical  woodlands  and  mountains. 

Accompanied  by  friends  I  visited  the  Annual  Exposi- 
tion in  the  Academy  of  Fine  Arts.  There  were  a  few 
good  pictures  by  Brazilian  artists,  but  most  of  the 
canvases  were  not  such  as  to  attract  prolonged  attention. 
Art  is  still  in  its  infancy  in  Brazil ;  nevertheless  several 
of  the  pictures  showed  a  fine  sense  of  color  and  vigorous 
handling.  There  is  some  talent  in  the  land  which  is 
worthy  of  being  encouraged. 

The  impression  made  upon  the  traveler  by  the  life 
of  the  streets  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  in  fact  in  all  South 
American  cities,  is  such  as  to  recall  the  lands  of  the 
Mediterranean,  rather  than  those  of  northern  Europe, 
or  the  United  States  of  North  America.  The  manners 
and  customs  are  those  of  southern  Europe.  The 
street-merchants  and  market-women,  the  porters  and 

68 


'    ■« 


Rambles  about  Rio  dc  Janeiro  69 

cabmen,  the  crowds  on  the  side-walks  reveal  by  a  hun- 
dred little  traits  in  action  and  address  that  they  belong 
to  the  Latin  rather  than  the  Teutonic  races.  Who  in 
England  or  the  United  States  has  seen  men  carrying 
their  stock  of  vegetables  about  from  house  to  house  in 
baskets  slung  at  the  ends  of  a  yoke-pole?  But  in  Italy 
and  Spain  and  North  Africa  such  sights  are  common, 
and  everywhere  in  Rio  dc  Janeiro  wc  encountered 
them. 

Many  of  the  public  buildings  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  are 
excellent  in  design  and  appearance.  The  influence 
of  French  taste  is  conspicuous  in  many  of  them. 
The  Opera  House,  modeled  after  that  of  Paris,  is  as 
fine  a  building  as  its  prototype.  The  Monroe  Palace 
is  recognized  at  once  as  the  Brazilian  Building  which 
graced  the  Exposition  at  St.  Louis,  and  which,  trans- 
ported to  Rio,  now  adorns  the  Avenida.  There  arc 
numerous  streets  which  compare  favorably  with  similar 
streets  in  any  of  the  great  European  capitals.  The 
most  attractive  feature  of  Rio  is  the  system  of  boulevards 
intersecting  the  lower  portion  and  bordering  the  water- 
front. Nowhere  in  the  world  is  there  a  more  beautiful 
drive  than  that  afforded  by  the  Avenida  Beira-Mar. 
The  road-bed  is  jxrfection,  and  the  exquisitely  beauti- 
ful views  of  the  bay  and  the  mountains,  which  it  offers 
at  every  turn,  cause  all  other  great  municipal  thorough- 
fares to  suffer  by  comparison.  The  Riverside  Drive 
in  New  York,  the  Thames  Embankment  in  London, 
the  Avenue  des  Champs  Elys6es  in  Paris  lack  alto- 
gether the  elements  which  combine  to  make  the 
great  Brazilian  avenue  the  magnificent  promenade 
which  it  is.  The  Hudson  is  a  noble  stream,  and  the 
Palisades  are  striking;  but  to  produce  in  New  York 
the  effect  of  the  view  at  Rio  it  would  be  necessary  to 


70  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

bring  down  the  White  Mountains  from  New  Hampshire 
and  set  them  up  in  the  New  Jersey  marshes,  put  the 
cliffs  and  mountains  of  the  Yosemite  into  the  regions 
of  the  Bronx,  and  build  a  section  of  the  maritime  Alps 
of  Italy  from  the  Atlantic  Highlands  to  Newark.  After 
all  this  had  been  done  there  would  still  be  lacking  the 
sun  and  riant  vegetation  of  the  tropics. 

At  various  points  there  are  small  parks  exquisitely 
kept,  and  numerous  monuments  commemorating  his- 
toric events  and  personages.  Mons.  Georges  Clemen- 
ceau  in  his  recent  book  entitled  South  America  of  To-day 
criticizes  in  a  good-natured  manner  the  tendency 
which  is  so  apparent  in  South  America  to  embelHsh 
open  places  with  monuments  and  groups  of  statuary 
commemorating  men  of  less  than  world-wide  fame. 
For  my  part  I  rather  like  the  evident  loyalty  of  the 
people  of  these  countries  to  the  memory  of  those  who 
have  been  their  leaders  and  benefactors.  Granting 
that  their  names  are  little  known  in  Europe  or  the 
United  States,  they  were  the  men  who  laid  the  foun- 
dations of  the  institutions  and  the  laws  which  to-day 
bless  the  nations  whom  they  served,  and  it  is  fitting 
that  those  who  come  after  them  should  remember  them. 
There  is  quite  too  much  haste  in  these  times  to  bury 
our  dead  in  forgetfulness.  Republics  are  proverbially 
ungrateful,  and  I  esteem  it  a  hopeful  and  pleasant  sign 
that  here  in  these  southern  lands  the  duty  of  the  present 
to  remember  the  benefactors  of  the  past  is  being  felt. 

But  "God  made  the  country,  man  made  the  town." 
I  prefer  the  country.  The  result  was  that  I  devoted 
less  of  my  time  to  rambling  about  the  streets  and  market- 
places of  Rio,  and  more  to  the  woodlands  and  mountain- 
tops.  Two  afternoons  were  given  to  pedestrian  ex- 
cursions  along    the    route    of   an    abandoned    railway 


Rambles  about  Rio  dc  Janeiro  71 

leading  through  the  forest  beyond  the  hotel.  The  track 
goes  around  the  jutting  shoulders  of  the  hills,  and  rich 
tropical  forests  overhang  it.  Great  tree-trunks  veiled 
by  creeping  aroids,  covered  with  parasitic  growths, 
rise  on  all  sides.  Orchids  were  abundant.  For  part 
of  the  way  the  track  runs  alongside  a  section  of  the 
old  Jesuit  aqueduct  built  of  massive  masonry,  which 
still  in  part  provides  a  supply  of  water  to  the  city. 
The  masonry  was  covered  with  a  thick  coat  of  green 
mosses,  and  in  the  chinks  grew  delicate  ferns.  In  the 
narrow  ravines,  through  which  the  streamlets  came 
bounding  from  the  hills,  tree-ferns  were  abundant.  The 
great  variety  of  families  and  genera  represented  in 
these  hillside  growths  was  one  of  the  things  which 
attracted  immediate  attention.  In  our  northern  wood- 
lands there  generally  appear  to  be  certain  dominant 
forms  in  a  given  locality;  in  one  place  the  hills  are 
covered  by  oaks  and  chestnuts;  in  another  by  pines  and 
birches;  in  still  another  by  beeches  and  poplars.  It 
was  not  so  on  the  mountains  about  Rio  de  Janeiro. 
There  were  indeed  certain  species,  individuals  of  which 
were  more  numerous  than  others,  but  there  was  every- 
where a  bewildering  variety  of  species.  The  larger 
trees  within  a  radius  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile  belonged  to 
at  least  twenty  families  and  forty  genera,  and  I  have 
no  doubt,  taking  into  account  the  woody  shrubs,  these 
numlx-TS  would  be  doubled.  Brazil  is  the  metropolis 
of  the  MelastomacecB,  and  if  any  family  appeared  more 
prominent  than  another  it  was  these.  There  were 
many  species  of  palms.  It  was  just  the  period  of  the 
springtime,  if  there  can  be  said  to  be  a 'vernal  period 
in  a  land  where  "everlasting  spring  abides,"  and  many 
of  the  larger  trees  were  in  blfx)m.  It  was  an  impressive 
sight  to  stand  on  a  jutting  eminence  and  look  down  over 


72  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

a  densely  wooded  slope  reaching  like  a  robe  of  emerald 
into  the  valley,  and  here  and  there  to  see  lordly  trees 
veiled  to  their  outermost  branches  with  blossoms, 
white,  yellow,  purple,  scarlet,  or  blue,  giant  bouquets 
set  here  and  there  in  the  midst  of  perennial  green.  The 
comparative  absence  of  lowly  composite  flowers,  which 
are  so  common  in  northern  latitudes,  was  noticeable. 
They  were  not  altogether  wanting,  but  their  place 
seemed  to  be  largely  usurped  by  verbenas,  begonias, 
caladiums,  and  cannas.  Convolvulaceous  and  legumi- 
nous plants,  large  and  small,  were  abundant.  A 
species  of  xanthoxylon  with  great  yellow  spikes  of 
bloom  grew  abundantly  in  spots.  The  brambles  of 
our  northern  woods  were  replaced  by  lantanas.  Among 
the  herbage  I  noticed  some  species  evidently  escaped 
from  cultivation,  for  instance,  here  and  there  a  stray 
coffee-plant  in  full  blossom.  This  child  of  the  Abys- 
sinian highlands  has  found  a  congenial  home  in  the 
American  tropics. 

But  even  far  more  interesting  to  me  on  some  accounts 
than  the  magnificent  vegetation  was  the  wealth  of 
insect  life.  Here  I  had  an  opportunity  to  observe 
close  at  hand  those  most  magnificent  of  all  South 
i.\merican  butterflies,  the  morphos,  numbers  of  which  I 
found  flitting  by  the  pathway.  Nothing  in  all  nature 
exceeds  the  brilliancy  of  these  huge  blue  insects,  as  they 
flutter  into  the  sunlight,  suddenly  disappearing  as  they 
pitch  upon  the  ground  or  a  twig,  closing  their  wings 
the  under  sides  of  which,  through  adaptation  to  their 
environment,  cause  them  to  be  instantly  invisible, 
except  to  one  who  is  keenly  watching  them.  I  came 
upon  them  seated  upon  the  ground,  and  was  unaware 
of  their  presence  until  suddenly,  like  a  gleam  of  burn- 
ished metal,  their  w4ngs  flashed  open  and  they  flew 


Vegetable  Dealer,  Rio  de  Janeiro. 


Poultry  Vender,  Rio  de  Janeiro. 


I 


Rambles  about  Rio  dc  Janeiro  73 

away.  Here,  too,  I  had  the  great  pleasure  of  observing 
the  curious  habits  of  the  butterflies  belonging  to  the 
genns  Ageronia,  which  invariably  light  head  downward 
upon  the  trunks  of  the  trees,  with  their  wings  expanded ; 
and  here  I  heard  them  as  they  circled  about  emitting 
that  curious  sound  concerning  which  Bates,  in  his 
A  Naturalist  on  the  Amazon,  has  written.  Just  how 
these  frail  little  creatures  produce  a  loud  clicking 
noise  as  they  dash  about  in  the  air  is  an  unsolved 
mystery.  Here  also  for  the  first  time  I  encountered 
in  life  the  curious  butterflies  belonging  to  the  genus 
Ithaniia  and  allied  forms.  They  seemed  to  be  the 
ghosts  of  living  things,  so  thoroughly  transparent  are 
their  wings,  and  it  was  only  by  sharply  noting  the  few 
bright  spots  upon  them  that  I  was  able  to  follow  them 
in  their  flight.  Their  pursuit  seemed  to  be  the  chase 
of  the  invisible.  Besides  the  butterflies,  which  were 
numerous  when  the  sun  was  bright,  there  were  many 
species  of  gaily  colored  moths,  which  are  diurnal  in 
their  flight,  and  which  hovered  over  flowers  or  flitted 
up  from  among  the  herbage.  Some  of  these  moths 
have  a  wonderful  resemblance  both  in  the  form  of  their 
bodies  and  their  wings  to  the  bees  and  wasps,  among 
which  they  feed  upon  the  same  food-plants.  One  of 
the  marvels  of  the  insect  world  is  the  great  moth 
which  is  occasionally  found  about  Rio  de  Janeiro,  and 
which  is  characterized  by  its  remarkably  prolonged 
hind- wings,  as  well  as  by  the  beauty  of  its  colors.  It 
is  known  by  the  scientific  name  of  Eudccmouia  scnii- 
ramis. 

Of  the  Hymenoptera  there  were  many  species.  A 
great  black  wasp  (Pepsis)  three  inches  in  length  was 
quite  common  and  very  conspicuous  when  feeding  on 
the  spikes  of  the  blooming  .xanthoxylon.     I  captured  a 


74 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


couple  of  fine  specimens.  A  large  bumble-bee  with  black 
wings  and  reddish  body  was  at  work  everywhere.  Ants 
of  various  kinds  appeared  to  be  numerous.  Dragon - 
flies  were  abundant,  but  proved  difficult  to  capture. 
The  beetles  of  Brazil,  especially  those  the  larvas  of 
which  feed  upon  wood  and  leaves,  constitute  a  mighty 


-Eud<Bmonia  semiramis. 
2  natural  size. 


host.  It  is  probable  that  only  a  small  part  of  them 
have  as  yet  been  named  and  described.  We  know  com- 
paratively little  of  their  habits  and  life-history.  The 
Cerambycidcc,  or  Long-horn  Beetles  of  Brazil,  include 
many  thousands  of  species  as  yet  unnamed.  There  is 
in  my  custody  a  collection  of  these  interesting  insects 
in  which  I  am  told  by  one  of  my  assistants  that  there 
are    certainly    twelve    thousand    species,    the    greater 


Rambles  about  Rio  do  Janeiro  75 


part  of  which  he  has  been  unable  thus  far  to  identify. 
They  all  came  from  Brazil.  To  name  and  describe 
them  is  in  itself  a  life-work,  which  awaits  at  this  moment 
the  proper  man.  Among  the  Cerambycidcc  of  Brazil 
are  many  most  singular  forms.  Perhaps  the  most 
remarkable  insect  of  the  group  is  the  great  beetle  which 
bears  the  scientific  name 
of  Macropits  longimayius. 
Its  back  is  marked  with 
curious  hieroglyphic  de- 
vices. The  DynastidcE,  an- 
other family  of  showy  bee- 
tles, is  also  well  developed 
in  Brazil.  The  most  strik- 
ing of  all  is  the  Hercules 
Beetle,  which  ranges  from 
the  Island  of  Guadaloupe 
to  Uruguay. 

Birds  apix^ared  to  be  nu- 
merous, and  to  my  great  de- 
light I  heard  the  call  of  the 
Bell-bird,  though  I  did  not 
see  the  beautiful  creature, 
I  do  not  think  it   possible 

that  I  was  mistaken  in  this.  Some  years  ago  in  the 
Zoological  Garden  in  London  there  was  a  captive 
specimen  of  the  bird,  which  constantly  emitted  its 
strange  metallic  note,  and  I  studied  and  listened  to  it 
for  half  an  hour.  The  same  sound  rang  out  again  and 
again  from  one  of  the  lonely  dells  on  the  face  of  Corco- 
vado.  I  attempted  to  locate  the  bird,  but  it  appeared  to 
be  hidden  in  the  deep  foliage. 

The  afternoon  of  an  almost  cloudless  day  was  given 
to  the  ascent  of  Corcovado.     This  is  made  easy  by  the 


Fig.    6. — MaiTopus      longimanus. 
i  natural  size. 


76  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

railway,  which  has  been  built  almost  to  the  summit. 
It  is  operated  in  the  same  manner  as  many  of  the  rail- 
ways which  have  been  built  in  Switzerland  to  enable 
tourists  to  gain  peaks,  which  a  few  years  ago  were  only 
to  be  reached  by  vigorous  effort.  Under  the  skies 
of  Brazil  the  most  devoted  worshiper  of  the  alpenstock 
is  justified  in  substituting  for  the  toil  of  his  muscles  a 
small  contribution  of  cash  from  his  pocket  and  for- 
getting the  glory  he  won  in  his  youth  by  many  a  reckless 
ascent.  The  railway  climbs  up  by  way  of  a  gorge  in 
the  steep  mountain-side,  through  which  a  brook  comes 
foaming  downward.  Great  trees  overhang  the  track 
and  through  their  tops  are  caught  glimpses  of  the  land- 
scapes below.  The  last  one  hundred  or  more  feet  of 
the  ascent  are  made  by  flights  of  steps  cut  in  the  solid 
rock,  up  which  the  tourist  must  go  as  a  pedestrian. 
On  the  summit  have  been  built  a  small  pavilion,  and  just 
below  it  on  the  narrow  edge  of  the  mountain  a  platform 
about  five  feet  wide,  protected  on  both  sides  by  balus- 
trades. Walking  to  the  end  of  this  platform  the 
observer  looks  out  and  down  upon  the  world  below  him, 
as  a  man  looks  down  from  the  basket  of  a  balloon. 
Were  he  to  leap  over  the  balustrade  he  would  drop 
nearly  a  thousand  feet.  The  view  is  magnificent.  On 
the  east  lies  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  a  mass  of  sapphire, 
over  which  white  fleecy  cloudlets  wander  landward; 
to  the  north  and  the  west  is  the  bay,  sprinkled  with 
green  islands,  a  sheet  of  lapis  lazuli  inlaid  with  emeralds ; 
in  the  further  distance  to  the  north  and  west  are  the 
Organ  Mountains,  some  of  which  lift  their  heads  seven 
thousand  feet  above  the  sea;  to  the  south  are  Tijuca 
and  a  hundred  green  hills;  immediately  below  lies  the 
city,  spread  out  as  upon  a  map,  every  avenue,  every 
building  in  full  view.     Along  the  white  roadways  the 


w 


u 


Rambles  about  Rio  tic  Janeiro  77 

street-cars  move  to  and  fro  looking  like  ants,  and 
human  beings  are  mere  specks  of  black,  scarcely  dis- 
tinguishable except  with  an  opera-glass.  We  staid 
a  half-hour  upon  the  summit  feasting  our  eyes,  and  then 
the  writer  walked  down  the  mountain  botanizing  and 
entomologizing  as  he  went.  The  walk  was  hot,  but 
it  is  never  to  be  forgotten.  What  pleasure  to  be  alone 
in  the  woods,  with  no  sounds  but  those  of  the  wind,  the 
brooks,  and  the  birds!  What  e.xquisite  delight  to  ram- 
ble free  of  foot  along  pathways  lined  with  plants, 
known  hitherto  only  by  carefully  nourished  specimens 
grown  in  conservatories,  or  preserved  in  herbaria. 
If  a  visit  to  the  palm-house  at  Kew  is  a  delight,  what 
a  delight  it  is  to  have  the  whole  wide  world  apparently 
transformed  into  a  colossal  conservatory,  and  to  be  free 
to  go  up  and  down  in  it,  gathering  flowers  everywhere. 

The  five  days  at  Rio  de  Janeiro  came  all  too  quickly 
to  an  end.  I  promised  myself  as  the  anchor  came  up  and 
we  stood  out  to  sea  that,  if  life  and  health  should  be 
spared  to  me,  I  would  again  some  day  renew  my  ac- 
([uaintance  with  this  fascinating  region,  of  the  charms  of 
which  I  had  only  had  a  taste. 

As  we  made  our  way  out  of  the  bay  I  recalled  what  I 
had  read  of  the  history  of  the  spot.  Here  the  Huguenots 
of  France  once  assayed  settlement,  and  the  memory  of 
their  occupation  is  per])etuated  in  the  name  of  the 
fortified  island  which  still  bears  the  name  of  Villegagnon, 
the  commander  of  the  company  of  French  Protestants 
who  made  the  first  attempt  to  colonize  the  region  in 
1555.  They  were  driven  out  a  few  years  later  by  Mem 
da  Sa,  the  Portuguese  Governor  of  Brazil,  who  laid  out 
and  effected  the  settlement  of  what  is  now  the  busi- 
ness quarter  of  Rio,  and  remained  as  Governor  until 
his  death  in  1572.     It  is  as  idle  to  spe<nilate  as  to  what 


78  To  the  River  Plate  and  Hack 

might  have  been  the  issue  of  a  French  occupation  of 
Rio  de  Janeiro  as  it  is  to  imagine  what  might  have  been 
the  result  of  a  permanent  occupation  of  the  coast  to 
the  north  by  the  Dutch.  Rio  de  Janeiro  during  the 
I^eriod  of  the  Napoleonic  wars  became  the  refuge  of 
the  Portuguese  King  and  court.  King  John  VI.  of 
Portugal  fled  before  the  advance  of  Marshal  Junot  and 
his  army  and  on  November  27,  1807,  accompanied  by 
fifteen  thousand  people,  carrying  with  them  fifty  mil- 
lions of  dollars  in  treasure,  sailed  away  for  Brazil,  arriv- 
ing at  Rio  on  March  7,  1808.  From  that  day  to  this 
Brazil  has  been  the  principal  home  of  the  Portuguese 
race.  Brazil  is  greater  Portugal,  in  the  same  way  that 
North  America  is  greater  England. 

Between  the  little  town  upon  which  Mem  da  Sa 
closed  his  eyes  and  the  great  city  of  to-day  with  its 
million  of  inhabitants  there  lie  nearly  three  centuries 
and  a  half  of  human  history.  What  changes  have 
taken  place  in  the  world  during  these  three  hundred 
and  fifty  years!  London,  to-day  the  largest  city  on  the 
globe,  had  in  1560  less  than  one-fifth  the  population  of 
the  Rio  de  Janeiro  of  the  present.  New  York  did  not 
exist,  and  it  was  not  until  fifty  years  after  the  city  of 
Rio  de  Janeiro  was  laid  out  that  Hendrik  Hudson  in 
his  Half  Moon  entered  the  river  which  bears  his  name. 
But  in  reality  everything  which  makes  life  worth  living 
to-day  seems  to  have  taken  place  since  the  discovery 
of  the  New  World. 


Fig.  7. — Dynastes  hercules. 

i  natural  size. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

SANTOS 

"  Town,  tower, 
Shure,  deep, 
Where  lower 
Clouds  steep; 
Waves  gny 
Where  play 
Winds  gay — 
All  asleep.  " — Victor  Huto. 

WE  left  Rio  about  noon  on  September  12th,  and 
made  our  next  call  at  Santos.  The  approach 
to  the  city  is  by  a  narrow  tidal  river  which  threads  its 
way  inland  amidst  mangrove-swamps,  beyond  which  on 
all  sides  rise  high  mountains.  We  took  on  a  pilot  as 
we  crossed  the  bar.  He  was  a  tall  African  from  the 
Cape  Verde  Islands.  His  ebony  complexion  was 
matched  by  a  rather  natty  uniform.  I  ventured  later 
to  express  to  the  captain  my  wonder  at  his  being  com- 
pelled to  entrust  his  responsibilities  to  the  gentleman. 
He  laughingly  responded,  "You  should  see  how  I  do 
that.  I  give  the  orders,  and  he  stands  by  and  approves 
and  confirms  them.  No,  sir;  I  do  not  resign  my 
responsibilities  to  black  boys  on  this  coast.  I  know 
the  coast  better  than  they  do.  I  have  been  on  this  run 
for  a  lifetime. " 

Santos  used  to  be  regarded  as  the  most  unhealthy 
port  in  the  American  tropics.     On  the  banks  of  the 

79 


8o  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

tortuous  stream,  as  we  slowly  made  our  way  to  the 
docks,  we  saw  the  ribs  of  a  number  of  American  ships 
rotting  in  the  sluggish  ooze,  and  I  was  told  by  the  cap- 
tain that  these  were  ships  which  had  been  abandoned, 
crew  after  crew  having  died  on  them  from  yellow  fever, 
and  that  they  had  been  finally  towed  to  the  shore  and 
deliberately  burned,  because  they  were  veritable 
plague-ships  and  could  not  be  taken  away.  Now  all 
is  changed  at  Santos.  The  building  of  the  new  docks, 
the  consequent  filling  up  of  the  low,  marshy  land  on 
the  river-front,  and  the  adoption  of  proper  sanitary 
precautions  have  led  to  the  almost  total  extermination 
of  the  mosquito,  which  bred  the  yellow  fever.  Prop- 
erty values  in  Santos  have  risen  within  recent  years 
in  a  manner  truly  marvelous.  The  town  is  the  port 
of  Sao  Paulo,  the  capital  of  the  state  of  the  same  name, 
which  is  built  on  the  uplands  twenty-five  hundred  feet 
above  sea-level  at  a  remove  of  two  hours  by  rail  from 
Santos.  The  latter  city  has  about  seventy  thousand 
inhabitants;  Sao  Paulo  about  four  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand,  more  than  half  of  whom  are  Italians. 

The  river-front  of  Santos  for  more  than  a  mile  is 
faced  by  docks  and  warehouses  of  modern  construction, 
and  these  are  being  rapidly  extended.  The  town  is 
compactly  built.  There  is  an  extensive  system  of 
street-railways,  the  service  upon  which  is  excellent. 
By  means  of  these  access  may  be  had  not  only  to  every 
quarter  of  the  city  but  also  to  the  suburbs.  Of  these 
the  most  attractive  is  Guaruja,  where  there  is  a  noble 
beach  of  pure  white  sand,  much  resorted  to  by  sea- 
bathers,  and  a  number  of  fine  hotels.  Sao  Vicente, 
located  about  six  miles  from  Santos,  is  the  site  of  the 
first  permanent  colony  established  by  the  Portuguese 
in  Brazil.     Here  in  January,   1532,  Martim  Affonso  da 


Santos  8i 

Souza  founded  a  little  settlement,  from  which  the  way 
was  speedily  discovered  to  the  more  healthful  and 
equally  fertile  highlands  separated  from  the  coastal 
plains  by  the  lofty  escarpments  which  rise  to  a  height 
of  from  twenty-five  hundred  to  three  thousand  feet 
along  the  ocean.  Da  Souza  was  not,  however,  the 
first  Portuguese  to  establish  himself  in  this  place. 
In  the  year  151 1  Joao  Ramalho,  a  Portuguese  deserter, 
had  settled  here,  as  had  Diego  Alvarez  at  Bahia  two 
years  before.  He  too,  like  Alvarez,  took  to  himself 
an  Indian  wife,  and  when  Da  Souza  arrived  he  was 
glad  to  welcome  his  fellow-countryman,  and  his  dusky 
sons  and  daughters  played  an  important  role  in  en- 
abling the  Portuguese  colonists  to  enter  into  friendly 
relations  with  the  surrounding  Indian  tribes.  The 
occupation  of  the  highlands  by  the  colonists  speedily 
cut  them  off  more  or  less  from  communication  with  the 
world  and  forced  the  Paulistas  to  become  more  and 
more  self-reliant.  They  developed  energy  and  daring 
in  their  new  surroundings,  and,  as  the  colony  grew, 
they  acquired  an  independent  spirit.  With  courage, 
boldness,  and  the  hospitality  of  the  frontier,  they  min- 
gled ignorance  and  cruelty.  The  story  of  the  colony, 
abtjut  which  centers  the  early  history  of  the  develop- 
ment of  the  power  of  Portugal  in  Brazil,  is  in  many  of 
its  features  not  unlike  the  story  of  the  winning  of  our 
Middle  West.  Tales  of  hardship  and  privation,  of 
encounters  with  hostile  Indian  tribes,  of  restless  migra- 
tions westward  in  quest  of  lands  and  gold  fill  the  pages 
of  the  historian  of  Sao  Paulo,  as  they  fill  the  {)ages  of 
those  who  narrate  the  history  of  the  Mississippi  Valley. 
The  Jesuits  played  an  important  part  in  the  movement 
at  first,  but  the  p)eople  of  Sao  Paulo  discovered  after  a 
while  that  the  theocratic  ideas  of  these  representatives 


82  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

of  ecclesiastical  power  were  in  conflict  with  their  liber- 
ties, and  they  hunted  the  Jesuits  out  of  the  country  as 
diligently  as  they  hunted  out  the  savages  who  refused 
submission.  The  whole  story  has  not  as  yet  been  told 
as  it  deserves  to  be.  The  genius  of  some  Brazilian 
having  the  historical  power  of  an  Irving  or  a  Parkman 
should  be  summoned  to  the  task  of  giving  to  the  world 
a  complete  record  of  this  really  wonderful  chapter  in 
American  development. 

The  city  of  Santos  is  dominated  by  a  hill  rising  above 
the  town,  on  the  summit  of  which  is  a  shrine  resorted 
to  by  the  sick,  who  are  reported  to  derive  great  benefit 
from  the  visit.  A  rather  remarkable  collection  of  wax 
models  such  as  are  generally  displayed  in  medical 
museums,  showing  the  nature  of  various  diseases,  is  a 
part  of  the  furniture  of  this  holy  place.  The  small 
parks  of  Santos,  of  which  there  are  several,  are  well 
kept,  and  contain  fine  specimens  of  tropical  plants. 
In  one  of  the  parks  in  the  center  of  the  city  the  muni- 
cipal authorities  have  placed  a  colony  of  sloths.  Some 
twenty  or  more  of  these  animals  live  among  the  branches, 
and  it  was  highly  interesting,  seated  under  the  shadows 
of  the  trees,  to  look  upward  and  watch  the  slow  and 
deliberate  movements  of  the  creatures  as  they  migrated 
from  bough  to  bough  feeding  upon  the  foliage  as  they 
went. 

That  this  is  a  very  small  world  impressed  itself 
forcibly  upon  me  in  Santos.  Upon  the  first  occasion 
on  which  I  took  a  seat  in  one  of  the  street-cars  to  ride 
from  the  city  to  the  dock,  where  the  steamer  was  lying, 
I  ventured  to  ask  of  a  gentleman,  beside  whom  I 
was  sitting,  whether  the  car  I  had  taken  would 
convey  me  to  my  destination.  I  addressed  him  in 
French,   and  he  answered  me  in   that   language,   but 


i^p^*^-:t 


View  of  tht*  Harbor  of  Sauitos. 


Loading  CoCFee  at  Santos.     Bananas  Piled  on  Forward  Deck. 


Santos  83 

quickly  said  in  excellent  English,  "You  are  an  American, 
not  so?"  I  answered  in  the  affirmative,  and  he  went 
on  to  tell  me  that  he  was  a  graduate  of  Cornell  Univers- 
ity, had  married  in  the  United  States,  and  we  presently 
discovered  that  we  had  a  score  of  mutual  acquaintances, 
among  them  one  of  my  own  classmates,  who  for  years 
has  been  the  honored  professor  of  the  German  language 
and  literature  in  Cornell. 

The  State  of  Sao  Paulo  produces  from  its  fertile 
acres  more  than  one-half  of  the  coffee  which  is  annually 
consumed  in  the  world.  While  our  steamer  lay  at  the 
wharf  we  took  on  board  five  thousiindbags  intended  for 
the  coffee-market  of  Buenos  Aires.  There  were  twenty 
or  more  large  steamers  engaged  in  loading  coffee.  The 
sacksof  coffee,  which  each  weigh  one  hundred  and  twenty 
jxjunds,  were  carried  on  board  on  the  backs  of  men. 
The  bearers  as  they  came  to  the  hatch  let  the  sacks  fall 
u|X)n  a  chute,  and  they  disappeared  into  the  hold,  where 
a  crowd  of  men  were  engaged  in  piling  them.  As  soon 
as  each  bearer  had  dropped  his  burden  he  returned  at  a 
trot  for  another.  The  procession  formed  an  endless 
chain  of  carriers,  one  half  loaded  with  sacks,  the  others 
hurrying  back  for  a  new  load.  Their  movements 
were  quick  and  agile.  There  was  little  suggestion  of 
"  the  land  of  manana.  "  The  gang  seemed  to  represent 
many  nationalities.  It  was  composed  mainly  of  negroes, 
but  I  recognized  Italians,  Portuguese,  East  Indian 
coolies,  and  a  couple  of  Japanese.  They  were  all 
bareheaded,  many  of  them  barefooted,  and  all  quite 
lightly  clad.  The  perspiration  fairly  dripped  from  them 
as  they  dashed  up  and  down  the  gang-i)lanks.  They 
earn  from  four  to  five  dollars  a  day  when  engaged  in 
loading,  but  employment  is  not  constant.  An  attempt 
is  being  made  to  dispense  with  the  service  of  men  in 


84  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

loading,  and  some  of  the  warehouses  are  being 
fitted  up  with  conveyors  which  are  intended  to  carry 
the  coffee-sacks  from  the  storage  rooms  to  the  hold 
of  the  steamers  as  they  lie  alongside.  None  of  these 
conveyors  seemed  to  be  in  operation  at  the  time  we 
were  there.  The  fact  that  Santos  is  a  coffee-port  was 
not  only  taught  us  by  our  eyes,  but  also  by  our  noses. 
There  is  an  all -pervasive  smell  of  raw  coffee  on  the 
docks ;   one  detects  it  as  one  walks  the  streets. 

The  use  of  coffee  as  a  beverage  is  quite  modem.  The 
ancient  Greeks  and  Romans  knew  nothing  of  the  fra- 
grant bean.  The  native  home  of  the  plant  is  Africa, 
and  Coffea  arabica,  which  is  the  species  generally 
cultivated,  grows  wild  in  Abyssinia.  There  are  several 
other  species,  one  of  which,  known  as  Coffea  liberica, 
is  very  common  on  the  western  coast  of  Africa.  The 
first  references  to  the  plant  occur  in  Arab  literature. 
There  are  a  number  of  curious  legends  as  to  the  manner 
in  which  the  use  of  coffee  arose.  One  tale,  which  I 
remember  to  have  read  somewhere,  assigns  the  first 
use  of  coffee  to  the  monks  of  the  Convent  of  St.  Cather- 
ine at  the  foot  of  Jebel  Musa  in  the  Sinaitic  Peninsula. 
The  abbot  had  long  been  vexed  by  his  inability  to  get 
some  of  his  monks  to  observe  their  vigils.  They  per- 
sisted in  sleeping,  when  they  should  have  kept  awake. 
One  day  the  goatherd  of  the  convent  complained  to  the 
abbot  that  he  was  having  trouble  with  his  'flock ;  that 
they  would  not  sleep;  and  kept  him  up  all  the  night 
by  their  ungoatlike  conduct,  being  apparently  cursed 
by  insomnia.  The  abbot  made  inquiries  and  discovered 
that  this  conduct  was  most  noticeable  when  they  fed 
in  one  of  the  ravines  where  there  grew  a  shrub  with  red 
berries,  upon  which  they  browsed.  He  ordered  the 
goatherd  to  bring  him  some  of  the  leaves  and  berries 


Santos  85 

of  the  plant.  This  was  done,  aiul  the  abbot  caused  an 
infusion  to  be  made,  which  he  administered  to  certain 
of  his  most  notoriously  lazy  monks.  The  potion  had 
the  desired  effect,  and  they  staid  awake  at  night,  after 
it  had  been  given  them.  After  awhile  they  came  to 
relish  it,  and  as  the  result  of  an  accident,  by  which  some 
of  the  coffee-seeds  were  scorched  in  a  fire,  the  fact  that 
the  beans  were  improved  by  roasting  and  the  infusion 
made  more  palatable,  was  discovered.  Probably  this 
stor>'  is  a  fiction.  The  use  of  coffee  as  a  beverage 
was,  however,  confined  to  the  region  about  the  Red  Sea 
until  quite  modern  times.  It  first  spread  into  Persia 
and  Arabia.  The  pilgrims  to  Mecca  learned  to  use  it 
at  Aden.  The  Hadjis  brought  a  knowledge  of  the 
beverage  back  with  them  to  Cairo  and  Constantinoi)le. 
At  first  there  was  a  great  deal  of  opposition  to  its  use 
by  the  Mohammedan  rulers,  and  it  was  declared  to  be 
into.xicating,  and  therefore  forbidden  by  the  Koran. 
But  the  opposition  proved  ineffectual  and  the  Syrians 
and  Turks  became  confirmed  drinkers  of  coffee.  Its 
use  was  introduced  into  England  in  1652  by  a  merchant 
named  Edwards,  who  traded  with  Smyrna.  At  the 
end  of  the  seventeenth  century'  the  Dutch  began  to 
grow  it  in  Java,  and  early  in  the  eighteenth  century 
introduced  the  plant  into  their  West  Indian  colonies 
and  Dutch  Guiana.  A  Franciscan  monk,  by  the  name 
of  V'illaso,  is  said  to  have  taken  the  first  coffee-plant 
to  Rio  de  Janeiro  in  1754,  and  from  the  little  sapling, 
which  he  carried  across  seas,  all  the  millions  of  coffee- 
plants  in  Brazil  are  descended. 

The  coffee-plant  is  a  low  shrub  or  tree  with  long, 
shining,  dark  green  leaves.  The  blossoms,  which  are 
formed  in  the  axils  of  the  leaves,  are  pure  white  and 
fragrant.     A  coffee-plantation  in  full  bloom  is  a  beauti- 


86 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


ful  sight.  The  blossoms  are  succeeded  by  the  berries, 
which,  when  ripe,  are  bright  red.  Each  berry  contains 
two  seeds,  or  "beans,"  which  are  placed  in  the  shell 
with  their  flat  sides  face  to  face.  The  gathering  and 
hulling  of  the  coffee  employs  a  great  many  people  in  the 
season.     The  trees  are  pruned  back,  or  pollarded,  to  en- 


Fig.  8. — Coffee  in  bloom.  Fig.  9. — Coffee  in  fruit. 

From  drawings  made  by  the  mother  of  the  writer  in  Jamaica,  West 
Indie.s,  1846. 

able  the  pickers  to  reach  the  branches.  Little  cultiva- 
tion is  required,  except  to  weed  the  ground  in  which  the 
trees  grow  and  keep  it  mulched  with  rotten  leaves  and 
vegetable  compost.  In  a  coffee-plantation  the  shrubs 
are  set  out  quite  thickly,  about  five  hundred  to  the  acre. 
There  are  hundreds  of  thousands  of  acres  planted  with 
coffee  in  Santos,  Sao  Paulo,  Rio  de  Janeiro,  and  the  ad- 
jacent provinces.  The  cultivation  has  grown  to  such  an 
extent  that  there  has  been  a  decline  in  prices,  which  the 
Brazilians  have  sought  in  part  to  overcome  by  restricting 


Santos  ^7 

planting.  The  coffee-growers  of  Brazil  arc  resorting 
to  the  same  tactics  which  have  been  used  by  agricultur- 
ists in  other  lands,  which  produce  different  crops.  The 
consumer  is  being  made  to  pay  tribute.  Soil  and  sun 
are  ready  to  do  their  work,  but  the  human  agent  is 
bent  on  keeping  up  prices,  or  forcing  them  to  higher 
levels. 

WTiile  thousands  of  sacks  of  coffee  were  being  put 
into  the  hold,  the  forward  decks  were  being  piled  high 
with  thousands  upon  thousands  of  bunches  of  bananas. 
They  were  brought  alongside  in  lighters,  and  then  taken 
on  board  in  slings  lowered  from  the  derrick-booms. 
The  bananas  were  of  the  common  variety,  which  is 
now  known  everywhere.  But  there  are  a  great  many 
varieties  of  the  .\fusa  sapientiinn,  as  there  are  of  other 
cultivated  fruits.  There  is  a  little  banana  not  bigger 
than  the  thumb  of  a  man,  which  grows  in  bunches  not 
more  than  a  foot  in  length,  and  which  is  called  domiyiico 
by  the  Spanish-sjx'aking  people  of  South  America. 
This  variety  is  far  superior  in  delicacy  of  flavor  to  the 
larger  kinds,  and  is  well  adapted  to  be  a  dessert-fruit. 
I  wonder  why  we  do  not  find  it  in  our  northern  markets. 
The  fruit  of  the  plantain,  which  by  some  botanists  is 
regarded  as  a  mere  variety  of  Miisa  sapientium,  by 
others  as  a  distinct  species,  Musa  paradisiaca,  is  general- 
ally  cooked  when  green.  Plantains  are  larger  than 
bananas,  coarser  in  flesh,  and  with  less  flavor.  They 
are  sliced  like  potatoes  and  then  fried  until  thoroughly, 
brown  and  crisp.  Thus  prepared  they  not  only  look 
like  fried  potatoes,  but  taste  not  unlike  them.  The 
banana  and  the  plantain  were  most  probably  introduced 
into  South  America  from  the  far  East.  They  do  not 
ai>i>ear  to  grow  wild  in  the  American  tmpics.  The 
clearings  on  the  hillsides  and  in  th<*  vnllo\  -  about  Santos 


88  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

are  covered  everywhere  with  dense  growths  of  bananas 
and  plantains.  The  greenness  of  a  hill  covered  with 
bananas  can  only  be  likened  in  its  intensity  to  the 
greenness  of  the  Irish  hillslopes  in  springtime. 

We  did  not  make  a  long  stay  at  Santos.  Arriving  a 
little  after  noon  on  September  13th  we  sailed  just  before 
nightfall  on  the  evening  of  the  day  following.  The 
forenoon  of  the  latter  day  was  devoted  to  sight-seeing 
and  the  futile  quest  of  butterflies.  The  morning  was 
cloudy  and  there  were  showers,  so  that  my  winged 
friends  of  the  fields  and  gardens  did  not  appear  in  any 
numbers  and  I  was  disappointed.  Butterflies  love 
sunshine.  They  are  part  of  the  world  of  light  and  cheer. 
I  do  not  believe  that  in  that  old  world  of  darkness,  which 
existed  under  the  fog-laden  skies  of  Mesozoic  times, 
there  were  many  butterflies.  That  was  the  age  of 
cockroaches.  When  our  coal-beds  were  in  the  process 
of  formation  cockroaches  were  numerous  and  big, 
but  I  doubt  if  there  were  many  butterflies. 

The  night  was  cloudy  as  we  slipped  out  of  the  river 
and  faced  the  sea.  The  wind  was  from  the  south,  and 
there  was  a  chill  in  the  air.  The  lights  of  the  shore 
quickly  receded,  and  we  went  below  to  get  our  dinners, 
and  pass  the  evening  playing  bridge- whist.  The 
brilliantly  illuminated  and  cosy  cabin  was  in  agreeable 
contrast  to  the  dark,  cold  exterior.  We  knew  we  were 
approaching  the  south  temperate  zone,  and  began 
to  think  of  getting  out  warmer  clothing  than  we  had 
hitherto  worn. 


§    7 
to    •:: 

c 


The  Cathedral,  Montevideo. 


The  Presidential  Mansion,  Montevideo. 


CHAPTER    IX 

MONTEVIUEU    AMJ    TIIL    RIVER    PLATE 

"By  the  rushy-fringed  bank, 
Where  grows  the  willow,  and  the  osier  dank. 
My  sliding  chariot  stays." — Milton. 

FOR  two  days  we  steamed  southward  at  full  speed. 
Now  and  then  during  the  first  day  we  saw  on  the 
western  horizon  the  distant  mountains  which  guard  the 
eastern  coast  of  the  Province  of  Santa  Catharina  in 
Brazil.  They  were  often  lost  among  pale  purple  clouds, 
which  they  so  closely  resembled  that  it  was  only  pos- 
sible to  distinguish  them  by  their  serrated  outlines. 
During  the  second  day  we  knew  that  the  great  Province 
of  Rio  Grande  do  Sul  lay  on  our  starboard  beam.  Our 
Captain,  however,  had  plotted  his  course  far  off  from 
the  coast,  and  we  vainly  searched  for  a  glimpse  of  the 
land.  The  shore  is  low  like  that  of  Uruguay  and  Argen- 
tina, and  it  is  only  by  keeping  close  to  it  that  it  becomes 
visible  from  the  deck  of  a  steamer.  The  air  grow 
colder  day  by  day.  The  wind  was  from  the  south  and 
seemed  to  have  in  it  the  tang  of  frost.  The  Captain 
said:  "If  I  were  to  hold  away  to  the  southeast  at  the 
rate  we  are  steaming  it  would  not  be  ver>'  long  before 
I  should  be  able  to  show  you  icebergs." 

On  the  morning  of  the  third  day  after  leaving  Santos 
we  found  that  we  were  steering  to  the  southwest,  and 

89 


90  To  th€  River  Plate  and  Back 

shortly  afterwards  the  prow  of  the  ship  came  around  and 
pointed  due  west.  The  color  of  the  water  began  to 
change;  it  passed  from  deep  blue  into  green,  and  then 
became  yellow,  and  presently  plainly  showed  that  it  was 
full  of  mud.  We  were  approaching  Maldonado,  the 
southeastern  port  of  Uruguay  at  the  entrance  of  the 
Rio  de  la  Plata.  This  mighty  estuary  is  one  hundred 
and  eighty  miles  wide  at  its  mouth.  The  drainage  of 
the  greater  part  of  the  southern  half  of  the  continent 
pours  through  it  into  the  ocean.  It  is  the  widest  river- 
mouth  in  the  world.  Its  navigation  is  dangerous.  In 
every  direction  there  are  shallows  and  treacherous 
sandbars.  The  navigable  channels  are  subject  to 
shifts  and  changes,  and  many  a  good  ship  has  in  times 
past  stumbled  upon  the  shoals  and  been  hopelessly 
wrecked.  The  banks  on  either  side  are  low,  and  but  for 
the  muddiness  of  the  water,  the  seaman  might  not 
know  that  he  had  left  the  high  seas  behind  him.  When 
we  entered  the  stream  the  wind  was  blowing  from  the 
southeast  and  the  waves  were  choppy.  The  upper 
regions  of  the  air  were  filled  with  a  thin  haze,  through 
which  the  sun  shed  a  pale  light.  A  silvery  sheen  was 
imparted  to  the  water.  One  of  my  shipmates,  noting 
this  phenomenon,  remarked:  "I  now  know  why  the 
name  Rio  de  la  Plata — River  of  Silver — was  given  to 
this  body  of  water.  It  looks  just  like  molten  silver." 
Unfortunately  history  contradicts  the  pleasant  fancy 
of  my  observant  fellow-traveler.  The  early  Spanish 
voyagers  to  South  America  had  only  one  motive  for 
coming  to  these  far-off  lands,  and  that  was  to  acquire 
a  store  of  the  precious  metals.  The  auri  sacra  James 
reigned  in  the  breasts  of  the  conquistadores.  The 
discovery  by  Sebastian  Cabot  and  his  comrades  of  a  few 
silver  trinkets  in  the  possession  of  the  aborigines  who 


Montevideo  and  the  Uiv(^r  Plate         91 

lived  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  whieh  they  had 
obtained  in  barter  from  the  distant  tribes  ol'  the  Andean 
region,  caused  the  first  visitors  to  the  country  to  give  to 
the  stream  the  name  by  which  it  has  since  been  known. 
In  this  connection  it  may  be  worthy  of  note  that  there  is 
a  widely  spread  behef  that  the  name  ''Buenos  Aires" 
was  bestowed  by  the  first  settlers  because  they  were 
pleased  with  the  climate.  But  this  is  an  historical 
error.  The  first  settlers  on  their  outward  voyage  had 
set  up  in  the  cabin  of  their  ship  a  shrine  to  "Our  Lady 
of  the  Favoring  Breezes,"  and,  borne  by  prospering 
gales  to  the  spot,  their  leader,  Mendoza,  gave  it  the 
name  Puerto  Santa  Maria  de  Buenos  Aires.  The  airs 
of  the  Argentine  capital  are  at  times  something  like 
those  of  Chicago.  Buenos  Aires  at  certain  seasons  is 
a  very  windy  cit\-,  and  the  pamperos  which  come  from 
the  southwest  with  almost  cyclonic  force  are  anything 
but  agreeable. 

We  gathered  at  the  rail  and  strained  our  eyes  to 
catch  a  first  glimpse  of  the  land  toward  which  we  were 
heading.  The  first  thing  to  appear  above  the  horizon 
was  the  tall  lighthouse  on  Lobos  Island.  Then  on  the 
starboard  we  made  out  the  low  coast  of  Uruguay.  A 
little  before  noon  we  descried  the  eminence  which 
dominates  the  site  of  the  capital,  and  could  say,  as  did 
the  first  e.xplorer,  "I  see  a  mountain"  -Montetn  video. 
At  the  foot  of  the  hill,  or  Cerro.  which  is  only  486  feet 
above  sea-level,  there  presently  api^eared,  rising  like 
a  mirage  from  the  water,  the  roofs  and  towers,  the 
hou.ses  and  gardens  of  the  metrojxilis  of  Uruguay. 

The  natural  advantages  of  the  jwrt  are  not  great. 
They  are  as  small  as  those  of  Buenos  Aires.  But,  just 
as  the  art  of  man  has  atoned  for  the  failures  of  nature 
at  Buenos  Aires,  so  at   Montevideo  steps  have  been 


92  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

taken  at  large  expense  to  provide  a  system  of  break- 
waters, enclosing  a  great  area  in  which  ships  may  safely 
ride  at  anchor.  We  steamed  slowly  and  carefully  to  the 
entrance  and  slipped  through  the  narrow  passage  which 
has  been  left  where  the  breakwaters,  lying  at  right 
angles  to  each  other,  nearly  meet.  The  spume,  driven 
by  the  southeaster  which  was  blowing,  fell  in  great 
sheets  over  the  walls,  on  which,  nevertheless,  here  and 
there  were  standing  groups  of  men  and  boys  casting 
their  fishing-lines  into  the  waves,  and  now  and  then 
bringing  up  a  fish,  which  flashed  white  in  the  sunshine. 
The  anchors  went  down  and  we  waited  impatiently  for 
the  officers  of  the  port  to  come  on  board  and  grant  us 
pratique.  After  an  hour  had  passed  the  formalities 
were  completed  and  we  were  informed  that  we  might  go 
ashore,  but  that  we  must  be  on  board  again  at  eleven 
o'clock,  because  the  voyage  would  be  resumed  at  mid- 
night. It  was  nearly  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
when  we  found  ourselves  on  terra  firma. 

The  older  portion  of  Montevideo  is  located  on  a  ridge 
which  juts  out  westward  in  the  form  of  a  low  promon- 
tory, north  and  west  of  which  is  a  shallow  semicircular 
bay,  at  the  western  extremity  of  which  stands  the  Cerro, 
surmounted  by  fortifications  over  which  rise  the  tall 
masts  of  the  wireless  signaling  station.  On  the  eastern 
side  the  promontory  faces  the  open  waters  of  the  ap- 
parently boundless  estuary,  the  left  bank  of  which 
trends  to  the  northeast.  On  this  side  beyond  the  city 
limits  are  low  shelving  beaches,  on  which  in  recent  years 
have  arisen  numerous  bathing  resorts.  One  of  the  most 
frequented  beaches  is  the  Playa  Ramirez,  behind  which 
on  higher  ground  is  a  great  park  (Parque  Urbano). 
Farther  to  the  east  on  the  low  shore  are  Pocitos  and 
Capurro  with  beautifully  arranged  gardens  and  drive- 


Montevideo  and  the  Ri\cr  Plate         93 

ways  and  a  nmltitude  of  hotels,  many  of  which  coini)are 
favorably  with  the  finest  establishments  of  their  kind 
in  any  part  of  the  world.  Montevideo  is  in  fact  not 
merely  a  great  commercial  port,  but  a  seaside  resort, 
to  which  the  wealth  and  fashion  of  South  America 
repair  in  the  hot  season.  The  municipality  is  growing 
rapidly  and  the  numerous  suburban  towns  and  villages, 
which  are  connected  with  the  older  city  by  an  excellent 
system  of  electric  tramways,  are  increasing  in  size,  as 
shown  by  the  large  number  of  new  and  unfinished 
buildings,  about  which  workmen  were  swarming  at  the 
time  of  our  visit.  The  population  of  the  main  city 
and  its  suburbs  amounts  at  present  to  over  three 
hundred  thousand  inhabitants,  and  it  is  therefore 
reckoned  as  fourth  in  the  list  of  great  South  American 
municipalities,  being  only  outranked  by  Buenos  Aires, 
Rio  de  Janeiro,  and  Sao  Paulo. 

To  "  do  "  a  great  city  in  a  few  hours  is  easier  now  than 
it  was  fifty  years  ago.  Then  there  were  no  electric 
tram-cars  and  automobiles  with  the  help  of  which  to 
annihilate  space  and  save  time.  It  may  well  be 
doubted,  however,  whether  with  the  modem  inventions 
we  derive  more  pleasure  from  a  tour  of  sightseeitig 
than  we  did  when  we  had  to  repose  our  trust  in  our  own 
sturdy  legs  or  those  of  a  horse.  We  determined  at  all 
events  to  make  the  most  of  our  brief  stay  in  the  capital 
of  Uruguay.  We  resolved  to  keep  our  eyes  and  ears 
open,  and  to  see  and  hear  all  we  could  in  the  time  at 
our  disposal,  and  to  this  end  to  employ  an  automobile 
for  at  least  a  part  of  our  time. 

The  first  thing  which  impressed  us  was  the  substantial 
nature  of  the  improvements  made  ujx)n  the  water- 
front and  the  solidity  of  the  warehouses  and  other 
buildings  about  the  wharves.     The  next  thing  was  the 


94  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

order  and  cleanliness  which  appeared  to  prevail  every- 
where. The  third  matter  of  remark  was  the  absence 
of  negroes.  Coming  from  Brazil  we  at  once  noted  the 
fact,  that,  though  many  of  the  people  about  us  were 
swarthy  in  complexion,  showing  their  Spanish  and 
Italian  descent,  or  even  the  admixture  of  Indian  blood 
in  their  veins,  there  were  no  people  of  the  African 
races  visible.  There  are  in  fact  few  Africans  in  Uruguay 
and  not  many  of  these  are  domiciled  in  the  capital. 
Uruguay  is  the  last  of  the  South  American  countries  to 
have  been  settled.  Its  original  colonists  were  poor, 
and  did  not  indulge  in  the  luxury  of  slaveholding  to 
any  great  extent.  The  policy  of  excluding  the  blacks 
has  since  been  followed,  and  the  main  immigration  in 
recent  years  has  been  from  southern  Europe.  The 
Uruguayans  pride  themselves  upon  the  fact  that  racial 
questions  are  not  likely  to  trouble  their  republic  in 
the  future.  "Ours,"  they  say,  "is  a  white  man's 
country. " 

We  began  our  tour  on  foot.  At  the  gates  of  the  dock- 
yard we  passed  the  officers  of  the  customs,  who,  seeing 
that  we  carried  nothing  more  suspicious  than  umbrellas 
and  cameras,  saluted  us  in  friendly  manner  and  allowed 
us  to  pass  on.  Strolling  upward  into  the  town  we 
came  to  the  shop  of  a  money-changer  and  converted 
a  few  English  sovereigns  into  the  coin  of  the  country. 
The  currency  of  Uruguay  is  on  a  gold  basis  and  an 
Uruguayan  dollar,  or  peso,  is  worth  $1,035  in  American 
gold.  The  contrast  between  values  as  expressed  in  the 
coinage  of  Brazil,  from  which  we  had  just  come,  pro- 
voked comment.  Instead  of  paying  two  hundred 
milreis  for  an  afternoon  paper,  the  newsboy  demanded 
four  centesimos.  It  certainly  was  a  liberal  price  for  that 
which  we  received  and  four  times  what  would  be  asked 


MonlcN  itlco  and  tin-  I\i\rr  Plate         95 

lor  a  larger  and  bettor  printed  sheet  in  any  North 
American  city,  but  the  price  did  not  appear  (juite  as 
startling  as  that  demanded  in  Rio  de  Janeiro. 

We  presently  came  to  the  summit  of  the  ridge  ui)on 
which  the  city  is  built,  and  along  the  top  of  which 
is  the  main  thoroughfare,  the  Avenida  18  de  Julio. 
At  intervals  this  avenue  leads  into  small  plazas  or 
parks,  about  which  stand  the  principal  public  edifices. 
The  lines  of  tramways  running  east  and  west  do  not 
traverse  these  plazas,  but  pass  around  them,  leaving  the 
broad,  well-made  pavement,  which  intersects  them,  as  a 
promenade  for  {pedestrians.  The  first  of  these  plazas 
which  we  reached  was  the  Plaza  Constitucion.  The 
open  doors  of  the  CathednU  attracted  us,  and  we  took 
a  peep  into  the  interior,  which  we  found  less  interesting 
than  its  quaint  exterior.  We  soon  turned  eastward  and 
quickly  w:dked  through  the  tastefully  arranged  Plazas 
Independcncia  and  Libertad.  Facing  the  former  is  the 
Palacio  de  Gobiemo,  or  Executive  Mansion,  over  which 
the  flag  of  the  country  was  flying;  on  the  latter  stands 
the  City  Hall,  a  building  of  imposing  size,  but  not 
especially  attractive  from  an  architectural  point  of  view. 
Farther  out  the  Avenida  we  were  greatly  impressed  vsnth 
the  fine  appearance  of  the  new  buildings  of  the  Univer- 
sity and  the  National  Librar>'.  These  would  be  an 
ornament  to  any  city.  The  University  is  i)rosperous 
and  well  attended,  especially  by  those  who  are  desirous 
of  studying  law  and  thus  indirectly  of  qualifying  them- 
selves for  the  service  of  the  state. 

We  were  struck  by  the  marked  difference  between 
the  domestic  architecture  of  Montevideo  and  that  of 
Rio  de  Janeiro.  The  residences  are  low  and  almost 
invariably  provided  vrxih  a  patio,  or  inner  court,  as  in 
Spain  and  North  Africa.     Of  this  inner  court,  adorned 


96  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

with  blooming  plants,  either  growing  in  pots  or  urns, 
or  else  in  beds,  often  surrounding  a  miniature  fountain, 
it  is  possible  to  catch  a  glimpse  through  the  glazed 
doors  leading  from  the  vestibule.  The  effect  is  alto- 
gether charming. 

Our  timepieces  now  suggested  that  we  should  adopt 
some  method  of  more  rapid  transit,  if  the  task  of  seeing 
the  city  was  to  be  accomplished,  and  we  first  resorted 
to  a  tram-car  and  went  out  to  the  end  of  the  line.  We 
struck  up  an  acquaintance  with  an  elderly  French 
gentleman.  He  informed  us  that  he  had  long  been  a 
resident  of  Montevideo,  and  showed  that  he  had  pros- 
pered, if  prosperity  can  be  deduced  from  a  well-groomed 
exterior,  a  happy  air,  and  respectful  recognition 
accorded  to  him  by  his  fellow-citizens  as  they  boarded 
and  left  the  car.  He  was  very  affable  and  volunteered 
interesting  information  as  to  the  uses  of  various  public 
edifices  which  we  passed  and  the  names  of  the  owners 
of  many  beautiful  villas  which  appeared  as  we  entered 
into  the  less  densely  populated  portions  of  the  town. 
He  professed  sincere  affection  for  his  adopted  country, 
told  us  in  glowing  terms  of  the  progress  made  in  recent 
years,  spoke  of  its  vast  pastoral  wealth,  and  of  its 
increasing  commerce.  It  is  not  often  that  one  meets 
an  expatriated  Frenchman  who  views  with  such  com- 
placent eyes  the  new  land  in  which  he  has  settled,  and 
who  does  not  very  quickly  announce  himself  as  full  of 
longing  for  a  return  to  the  banks  of  the  Seine.  At  last 
he  left  us  with  a  polite  Bon  voyage,  Messieurs. 

Near  the  end  of  the  electric  railway  we  were  attracted 
by  the  rather  imposing  buildings  of  the  Italian  Hospital, 
which  testified  not  merely  to  the  benevolence  of  the 
Italian  residents  of  the  city,  but  to  their  devotion 
to  the  traditions  of  the  land  whence  they  have  come. 


Montevitlro  and  tin-  River  Plate         97 

The  statues  at  the  entrance  bespoke  an  aflfectioniitc 
regard  for  the  family  which  reigns  to-day  in  the  oldest 
of  the  Latin  lands.  The  love  still  cherished  for  Italy 
by  Italians  who  have  embraced  citizenship  in  the  South 
American  republics  revealed  itself  to  me  on  frecjuent 
occasions  in  interesting  and  pleasing  ways.  When  the 
theme  of  conversation  happened  to  be  the  land  of  the 
Cajsars  it  was  sometimes  amusing  to  observe  with  what 
enthusiasm  and  animation  these  exiles  spoke  of  "our 
country"  and  "our  king."  For  a  moment  the  fact 
that  they  had  forsworn  allegiance  to  that  king  and  had 
adopted  citizenship  in  a  cis- Atlantic  republic  seemed  to 
be  forgotten,  as  memory  recalled  the  land  of  their 
birth.  They  love  no  less  the  land  in  which  they  were 
bom  because  they  have  learned  to  love  the  land  in  which 
they  live.  It  is  natural  and  well  that  it  should  be  so. 
It  makes  for  the  peace  of  the  world.  The  sons  and 
daughters  of  Italy,  Spain,  and  Portugal,  living  in  the 
republics  of  the  south,  appear  to  have  a  deeper  affection 
for  the  lands  which  they  have  left  behind  them  than  is 
cherished  by  Anglo-Saxons  and  Germans  in  the  great 
republic  of  the  North.  I  smile  as  I  recall  the  worshij)- 
ful  reverence  displayed  by  an  old  Italian  woman  who 
was  the  femmedechambre  in  a  house  where  I  was  a  visitor, 
and  who  hapix*ned  to  spy  ujKin  the  dressing-case  an 
Italian  decoration  which  I  had  left  there  after  a  festal 
occasion  on  the  night  before,  when  I  had  worn  it.  She 
eyed  it  for  a  moment,  recognized  what  it  was,  and  taking 
it  up  reverently,  kissed  it,  saying:  "How  happy  y<u 
must  be  to  have  received  such  an  honor  from  our  king." 
It  now  became  plain  that  if  the  remaining  hours  be- 
fore sunset  were  to  be  employed  to  advantage  we  must 
secure  an  automobile.  The  chauffeur  was  instructed 
to  take  us  to  Pocitos.     We  had  a  peep  at  this  resort 


98  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

and  saw  some  of  the  prettier  suburbs  of  the  city  to  the 
northeast.  We  came  back  in  the  last  glow  of  the  even- 
ing, while  the  stars  began  to  twinkle  above  and  the 
brilliant  electric  lights  of  the  avenues  responded  below. 
It  was  time  to  think  of  dining.  We  found  a  good  hotel 
and  enough  to  refresh  the  inner  man.  The  service  was 
excellent,  the  viands  palatable,  and  after  our  rather 
strenuous  efforts  to  obtain  a  general  idea  of  the  city 
and  its  principal  attractions  it  was  good  to  rest.  After 
dinner  we  peeped  into  a  theater,  where  we  did  not  tarry, 
as  my  companions  confessed  that  they  were  not  suffi- 
ciently "long  on  Spanish"  to  enjoy  the  play.  One  of 
them  suggested  that  he  preferred  billiards,  and  the 
second  of  the  two  assenting,  we  went  to  a  place  where 
the  game  was  being  played.  It  was  a  large  hall  with 
a  score  or  more  of  tables.  I  obtained  a  comfortable 
chair  and  an  evening  paper,  and  while  my  comrades 
punched  the  ivory  balls,  I  read  the  news,  puffed  my 
cigar,  watched  the  crowd  of  players,  and  kept  my  eye 
upon  the  clock.  Everything  was  orderly.  There 
appeared  to  be  no  betting,  but  of  this  I  cannot  be 
absolutely  certain.  Beer  was  being  dispensed  to  the 
thirsty  at  small  tables.  The  people  in  the  room  were 
genteel  in  dress,  looking  no  different  from  similar  gath- 
erings in  New  York  and  Paris,  save  that  here  and  there 
was  a  man  whose  costume  showed  that  he  was  a  gaucho 
from  the  country.  My  shipmate  who  had  proposed 
this  diversion  was  an  Australian.  He  said  that  he  had 
been  a  sheep-rancher  in  that  land  of  the  antipodes,  and 
now  struck  up  an  acquaintance  with  a  man  who  was 
engaged  in  the  same  business  in  Uruguay.  His  pleasure 
was  apparently  unbounded.  "  I  tell  you  this  is  a  great 
country!"  he  exclaimed,  "This  is  a  sheep  country, 
and  sheep  countries  are  all  right.     That  man  I  was  talk- 


Montc\iLlco  and  tlu-  l\i\  cr  Plate         99 

ing  to  smelt  of  wool.  It  made  me  feel  good  to  meet 
him."  As  my  acquaintance  had  already  confided  to 
me  that  he  originally  was  a  veterinary  surgeon,  I 
ventured  to  ask  whether,  if  his  newly  found  friend  had 
"smelt  of  the  stable, "  he  would  have  enjoyed  his  com- 
pany as  much.  He  cast  a  withering  glance  at  me. 
"Naw!  a  horseman  is  not  for  one  moment  to  be  com- 
pared with  a  sheepman." 

The  clock  marked  half-past  ten,  and  I  told  my  ship- 
mates that  it  was  time  for  them  to  put  up  their  cues  and 
go  to  the  dock.  They  assented,  and  in  the  moonlight 
we  strolled  down  to  the  wharf. 

The  next  morning  our  steamer  was  ploughing  its  way 
through  the  muddy  waters  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata.  On 
the  surface  everywhere  were  dead  fishes.  As  we  after- 
wards learned,  a  strange  and  unknown  disease  had 
seized  the  finny  tribes  of  the  great  river  and  millions 
of  fishes  had  died.  They  were  of  all  sizes  and  of  many 
species.  In  places  their  bodies  were  lying  thick  upon 
the  water,  hundreds  being  visible  at  one  time.  The 
disease  was  not  confined  to  the  area  of  water  below 
the  city  of  Buenos  Aires,  but  was  prevalent  throughout 
the  length  of  the  river.  Had  the  destruction  been  con- 
fined to  the  lower  reaches  a  suspicion  that  it  was  due  to 
the  ix)llution  of  the  stream  by  the  sewage  of  the  city 
might  have  been  entertained.  But  this  was  not  the 
case.  Many  years  ago  after  the  building  of  the  great 
Davis  Island  Dam  on  the  Ohio  River  below  the  city  of 
Pittsburgh  there  came  a  dry  season,  and  the  fishes  in 
the  harbor,  poisoned  by  the  contaminate^  waters,  full 
of  chemical  matter  and  the  drainage  of  the  mines  along 
the  Monongahela,  died  and  covered  the  water  as  they 
did  the  Rio  de  la  Plata.  But,  as  I  had  occasion  to 
observe  on  an  excursion  made  subsequently  through  the 


100         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

delta  of  the  Parana  lying  far  above  the  city  of  Buenos 
Aires,  the  fishes  in  the  upper  part  of  the  stream  were 
infected  as  much  as  in  the  lower  portions. 

About  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  began  to  dis- 
cern the  groves  of  eucalyptus-trees,  the  tall  chimneys, 
and  the  roofs  of  the  loftier  buildings  of  Ensenada,  the 
port  of  the  city  of  La  Plata;  and  then  the  still  taller 
eucalyptus-trees  which  fill  the  parks  and  line  the 
avenues  of  the  city  of  La  Plata  itself.  It  was  all  very 
distant  and  indistinct.  Even  a  powerful  glass  failed  to 
reveal  much.  Ahead  of  us  several  small  Argentinian 
war- vessels  were  manoeuvering.  The  larger  men-of-war 
of  the  Argentine  fleet  have  their  rendezvous  much 
farther  to  the  south,  at  Bahia  Blanca. 

About  noon  we  entered  the  channel,  which  has  been 
dredged  through  the  muddy  bottom  of  the  river  for 
many  miles,  and  which  leads  to  the  entrance  of  the 
docks  at  Buenos  Aires.  The  city  like  a  low  grey  cloud 
hung  along  the  horizon,  its  features  as  yet  scarcely 
distinguishable.  So  recently  as  twenty  years  ago  large 
vessels  coming  to  Buenos  Aires  were  compelled  to 
anchor  in  the  stream  six  or  seven  miles  from  the  city. 
Passengers  and  goods  were  carried  in  small  lighters  and 
boats  to  the  shore,  and  final  landing  was  often  effected 
by  means  of  carts  with  high  wheels,  which  were  driven 
out  into  the  water  alongside  of  the  boats,  which,  unless 
quite  small,  could  not  reach  the  bank.  This  state  of 
affairs  was  adjudged  to  be  no  longer  tolerable,  and 
accordingly  a  large  loan  was  effected,  and  at  an  expense 
of  more  than  $70,000,000  the  present  North  and  South 
Docks  were  constructed,  and  the  channel  through  which 
we  were  slowly  steaming  was  dug.  It  is  just  wide 
enough  to  allow  two  vessels  to  pass  each  other.  Its 
course  is  a  mathematically  straight  line  until,   as  it 


I 


Montevideo  and  the  Kixcr  Thitc       lor 

approaches  the  city,  it  bifurcates,  one  channel  leading 
to  the  entrance  of  the  South  Docks,  and  the  other  to 
the  entrance  of  the  North  Docks.  The  channels  are 
marked  on  either  side  by  upright  stakes,  at  the  top  of 
which  electric  lights  are  displayed  at  night.  The  cur- 
rent of  the  river  throws  the  vast  A'O'ume  of  mud,  which 
is  always  being  brought  down,  toward  the  right  bank, 
on  which  Buenos  Aires  stands,  ai;d  the  opon.t-ion  of 
keeping  the  channel  open  by  dredging  goes  on  continu- 
ously throughout  the  year,  and  entails  great  expense. 
We  passed  a  number  of  dredgeboats  hard  at  work  as 
we  went  up. 

As  we  drew  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  city,  several  of 
my  fellow-passengers,  whose  homes  arc  in  Buenos  Aires, 
kindly  pointed  out  to  me  certain  buildings  which  are  of 
interest.  There  is  only  one  "sky-scraper"  in  the  capi- 
tal, and  it  does  not  loom  up  imposingly.  The  dome  of 
the  Capitol,  recalling  that  at  Washington,  but  smaller, 
was  easily  recognized.  The  great  Plaza  Hotel,  standing 
on  higher  ground,  presents  its  rather  unbeautiful  rear 
fagade  to  the  river;  its  imposing  front  faces  the  Plaza 
San  Martin.  The  Palace  of  the  President  and  various 
other  public  buildings  were  visible  in  part  from  the  deck 
of  the  steamer.  In  the  immediate  foreground  were  the 
dock-walls,  back  of  which  lay  scores  of  ocean-going 
vessels,  their  masts  and  funnels  indicating  the  rendez- 
vous in  this  port  of  the  ships  of  many  different  merchant 
fleets.  Behind  them  ranged  in  monotonous  succession 
a  long  array  of  grain-elevators  and  warehouses. 

The  outward  voyage  had  come  to  its  end.  The 
great  ship,  which  had  carried  us  to  the  willow-lined 
banks  of  the  Plate,  was  slowly  waqx^d  to  her  moorings 
at  the  custom-house  landing.  But  there  were  ])ort 
formalities  to  be  arranged,  and  for  nearly  half  an  hour 


102         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

we  stood  at  the  rail,  looking  down  at  the  crowd,  who 
were  waving  handkerchiefs  and  calling  out  words  of 
welcome  to  the  incoming  passengers.  I  expected  no  one 
to  meet  me.  One  of  my  fellow-passengers,  accompanied 
by  his  wife,  was  going  to  La  Plata  to  assist  in  installing 
sonijs  of  the  astronomical  equipment  of  the  National 
Observatoiy,  which  has  recently  been  placed  under  the 
charge  of  Dr.  VV.  J.  Hussey,  the  celebrated  astronomer, 
whose  achievements  at  the  University  of  Michigan  have 
given  him  international  reputation.  They  told  me  that 
they  had  been  informed  by  telegram  that  Dr.  Hussey 
would  be  at  the  dock  to  greet  them.  They  presently 
recognized  him  in  the  crowd ;  and  I  had  the  honor  of  an 
introduction  at  long  range.  The  Professor  informed 
me  that  a  deputation  of  gentlemen  from  the  National 
Museum  at  La  Plata  were  on  hand  to  welcome  me.  He 
quickly  found  them,  and  introductions,  also  at  long 
range,  took  place,  with  waving  of  handkerchiefs  and 
lifting  of  hats  in  salutation.  The  leader  of  the  party 
was  Dr.  Santiago  Roth,  whose  work  is  well  known  to  all 
students  of  South  American  geography  and  geology. 
He  was  accompanied  by  Dr.  F.  Herrero-Ducloux,  the 
brother  of  the  Assistant  Director  of  the  Museum,  Dr. 
Ernesto  Herrero-Ducloux,  who  was  prevented  by  illness 
from  appearing,  by  Seiior  Aliguel  Fernandez,  and  Sefior 
Debenedetti  of  the  Museum.  After  all  it  appeared  that 
I  was  not  to  find  myself  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land. 

At  last  the  word  was  given,  and  we  descended  the 
gangplank.  My  newly  made  friends  greeted  me  with 
the  cordial  warmth  which  characterizes  the  hospitable 
people  of  southern  lands.  Our  baggage  was  found  and 
a  polite  officer  of  the  customs  quickly  "chalked"  the 
pieces.  We  were  hurried  to  a  couple  of  waiting  auto- 
mobiles and  whirled  through  the  streets  to  the  station 


MoiUl\  iclci)  aiul  ihc  Ri\cr  Plate        lo.^ 

oi  the  Ferroc'arril  dt-l  Sud  on  ihc  IMaza  ConbUiucioii. 
We  were  informed  that  by  an  arrangement  kindly  made 
by  the  authorities  of  the  National  University  of  La 
Plata  we  would  have  our  home  in  the  residence  of  the 
Director  of  the  Observatory,  which  is  ver>'  near  the 
National  Museum,  and  instead  of  making  Buenos  Aires 
our  place  of  stay  we  would  presently  go  to  La  Plata. 
A  cup  of  tea  in  the  handsome  restaurant  of  the  railway 
station  was  proposed,  and,  as  the  hour  was  early,  Dr. 
Roth  suggested  that  the  journey  to  La  Plata  be  deferred 
until  about  five  o'clock,  and  that  we  should  together 
take  a  little  stroll  through  some  of  the  more  interesting 
parts  of  the  great  city.  We  went  by  tramcar  to  the 
Avenida  de  Mayo,  the  "Broadway"  of  the  Argentine 
metropolis,  recalling  in  many  of  its  features  the  avenues 
of  Paris.  Seated  in  front  of  the  restaurants  were  groups 
of  well-attired  men  puffing  cigarettes  and  drinking  cofTee, 
as  they  may  be  seen  in  the  summer  upon  the  boulevards 
of  the  French  capital.  The  waiters,  clad  in  white, 
looked  as  if  they  might  have  stepped  out  of  the  Caf6 
de  la  Pai.x.  We  felt  as  if  we  were  not  on  American  soil, 
but  in  France.  We  turned  into  the  Calle  Florida,  the 
fashionable  street  for  shopping,  in  which  at  that  hour 
of  the  afternoon  vehicular  traffic  is  prohibited,  and 
which  was  filled  with  a  crowd  of  peoi)le  bent  either  on 
business  or  pleasure.  Gowns  in  the  latest  Parisian 
style  were  everywhere  in  evidence.  Gentlemen  in  cor- 
rect walking  costumes  passed  along,  bowing  to  acquaint- 
ances. At  the  comers  young  dandies  congregated. 
The  street,  like  most  of  the  older  streets  of  the  city,  is 
narrow.  The  shop  fronts  are  imposing,  and  behind  the 
plate-glass  windows,  the  choicest  products  of  European 
and  North  American  skill  were  displayed. 

We  had  not  gone  far  when  the  writer  recognized  in 


104         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

the  throng  his  friend  Dr.  Bailey  WilHs,  the  son  of  one 
of  the  famous  poets  of  America,  himself  a  famous  geolo- 
gist. We  had  not  met  since  some  years  before  we  had 
spent  a  pleasant  evening  together  at  the  Cosmos  Club 
in  Washington.  ' '  You  here  ? ' '  and  ' '  You  ? ' '  Explana- 
tions followed.  Dr.  Willis  informed  me  that  he  was 
under  engagement  by  the  Argentine  Government  to 
carry  on  certain  work  in  connection  with  the  develop- 
ment of  a  great  territory  in  the  western  interior,  which 
it  is  desired  to  throw  open  to  colonization.  I  explained 
my  errand,  and  with  the  promise  soon  to  meet  again  we 
parted  company.  Farther  down  the  street  we  repaired 
to  the  principal  depot  for  photographic  supplies  to  pick 
up  a  few  necessary  articles.  Then  we  wandered  back  to 
the  Avenida  de  Mayo,  and  by  tramcar  returned  to  the 
railway  station  and  boarded  our  train. 

The  railways  in  Argentina  are  largely  under  English 
control,  they  having  been  built  by  English  capitalists. 
Some  of  the  newer  lines  are  the  property  of  the  State. 
The  railroad  mileage  of  Argentina  at  the  present  time 
exceeds  that  of  all  other  South  American  countries 
combined.  At  the  close  of  the  year  1912  there  were 
over  twenty-six  thousand  kilometers  of  railway  in  opera- 
tion in  the  country.  The  tracks  are  broad-gauge  and 
the  railway  carriages  are  commodious.  The  appoint- 
ments of  the  train  which  bore  us  out  of  the  station  in 
Buenos  Aires  to  La  Plata  were  sufficiently  good  to  satisfy 
the  taste  of  the  most  exacting  traveler.  The  distance 
to  La  Plata  is  about  thirty-one  miles,  and  the  run  is 
made  in  less  than  an  hour. 

The  sun  was  just  setting  as  we  left  the  railway  ter- 
minal. The  sky  was  overcast,  but  through  a  rift  in  the 
west  a  flood  of  sunset  glory  was  poured  across  the  world, 
reddening  the  lower  surfaces  of  the  clouds  with  crimson 


Montevideo  and  tlie  l\i\i  r  IM.ite        105 

and  lighting  up  the  white  walls  of  the  surburbs  throu|^h 
which  wc  quickly  passed.  To  the  east  we  cauj^ht 
glimpses  of  the  river,  now  dark  purple  in  the  waning 
light.  The  sky-line  toward  the  sunset  was  interruptctl 
by  buildings  and  by  dark  groves  of  eucalyptus.  There 
had  boon  a  few  sliowers  during  the  day  and  the  country 
roads  along  which  we  passed  appeared  to  be  veritable 
sloughs.  From  the  Atlantic  far  into  the  interior  there 
are  no  stones  to  be  found  in  Argentina.  The  level  i)rov- 
ince  of  Buenos  Aires,  when  first  discovered,  was  as  free 
from  stones  as  are  the  rich  alluvial  prairies  of  central 
Illinois.  It  has  been  said  that  from  the  borders  of  the 
River  Plate  for  two  hundred  miles  inland  it  would  have 
been  in  the  early  days  impossible  to  find  a  piece  of  stone 
as  big  as  a  cherry.  The  making  of  good  country  roads 
under  such  circumstances  has  been  almost  impossible. 
The  streets  of  Buenos  Aires  and  La  Plata,  where  stone 
is  used  for  paving  purposes,  have  been  paved  with 
Belgian  block  brought  as  ballast  in  ships  coming  from 
Norway  and  Sweden.  I  was  told  that  the  curbstones  in 
the  city  of  La  Plata  had  all  been  imported  from  Euro- 
pean lands.  The  country  roads  throughout  Argentina 
are  very  wide,  having  been  given  a  breadth  of  forty 
meters,  or  more  than  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet. 
The  motive  for  making  the  roads  so  wide  was  the  fact 
that  in  former  times,  before  the  introduction  of  railways, 
the  herders  were  com{x?lled  to  drive  their  cattle  and 
sheep  for  long  distances  to  the  jx^rts,  and  they  were 
forced  to  subsist  on  the  way  upon  the  herbage  which 
these  broad  roadways  afforded.  They  crojiped  and 
grazed  as  they  went.  The  roads  were  ifitended  to  be 
broad  strips  of  pasturage,  as  much  as  lines  ujwn  which 
traffic  might  be  carried  on  by  vehicles.  In  the  rainy 
season  the  highways  of  Argentina  outside  of  the  cities 


loO         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

are  little  better  than  unploughed  grazing  land  full  of 
swampy  pools.  Here  and  there  attempts  have  been 
made  to  throw  up  the  soil  in  the  middle  in  the  form  of  a 
ridge  and  to  dig  alongside  of  this  channels  through  which 
the  water  may  be  drained  away.  But  the  era  of  good 
roads  has  not  as  yet  arrived  in  Argentina.  Though 
there  are  thousands  of  automobiles  in  the  capital,  I 
suspect  it  would  be  rather  a  doleful  undertaking  at 
the  present  time  to  make  an  automobile  tour  through 
the  country  districts. 

We  passed  through  several  large  towns  on  the  way  to 
La  Plata.  The  most  important  is  Quilmes,  where  is 
located  an  important  brewing  establishment,  said  to  be 
one  of  the  largest  breweries  in  the  world.  Quilmes  beer 
is  sold  everywhere  throughout  Argentina  and  Uruguay. 
In  the  southeastern  suburbs  of  the  same  town,  near 
the  railway,  is  a  large  glass-factory,  engaged  princi- 
pally in  making  beer-bottles,  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  which,  piled  up  in  the  yards,  covered  acres  of  the 
surface.  The  materials  of  manufacture  are  largely 
imported  from  Europe. 

The  night  fell  quickly  over  the  landscape.  We 
reached  La  Plata  without  having  made  a  stop.  On 
alighting  from  the  train  I  was  struck  with  the  grandiose 
proportions  of  the  railway  terminal.  It  recalled  Char- 
ing Cross  or  Waterloo.  I  said  to  Professor  Roth: 
' '  The  blood  of  a  great  many  beeves  must  have  paid  for 
this  structure."  He  laughingly  assented,  and  said: 
"Yes;  everything  in  this  country  is  made  of  'beef  or 
'wheat.'"  We  stepped  out  of  the  depot  upon  a  bril- 
liantly lighted  avenue.  The  carriage  of  the  good  doctor 
was  awaiting  us,  and  we  were  quickly  conveyed  to  his 
residence,  where  from  his  charming  family  we  received 
a  welcome  full  of  Teutonic  warmth,  and  presently  sat 


Montcvitlco  and  the  Ki\Lr  Tlatc       \oj 

down  to  a  table  abounding  in  good  cheer.  After  dinner 
we  were  driven  in  the  darkness  to  the  residence  of  the 
Director  of  the  Observatory,  where  we  received  another 
cordial  welcome.  The  air  was  chilly,  and  it  was  pleas- 
ant to  gather  in  the  cosy  sitting-room  before  the  grate  in 
which  glowed  a  cheerful  fire  of  Welsh  anthracite.  The 
fuel  of  Argentina  as  well  as  the  pavements  come  from 
across  the  seas.  We  talked  about  the  far-away  land  in 
the  north  which  we  had  recent)}'  left.  We  discovered 
that  we  had  many  mutual  friends.  And  then  at  last  I 
was  ushered  into  my  bed-room,  a  chamber  recalling  in 
its  appointments  and  lordly  size  the  stately  homes  of 
Spain.  Adjoining  it  was  a  handsomely  furnished  salon, 
which  my  host  informed  me  I  was  free  to  use  as  a  place 
in  which  to  receive  visitors. 

The  silence  of  the  night  was  unbroken  save  by  the 
voice  of  a  small  owl  in  the  tree-tops,  and  I  fell  asleep 
dreaming  that  I  was  still  being  "rocked  in  the  cradle  of 
the  deep,"  on  which  for  nearly  a  month  my  nights  had 
been  passed. 


CHAPTER    X 

LA   PLATA 

"Ampie  salle,  ampie  loggie,  ampio  cortilc 
E  stanzc  ornate  con  gentil  pitturc, 
Trovai  giungendo,  e  nobili  sculturc 
Di  marmo  fatte,  da  scalpel  non  vile. 
Nobil  giardin  con  un  perpetuo  Aprile 
Di  varij  fior,  di  frutti,  e  di  verdure, 
Ombre  soavi,  acque  a  temprar  I'arsure 
E  strade  di  belta  non  dissimile." 

Francesca  Turina  Kufalini. 

THE  city  of  La  Plata  was  called  into  being  in  the  year 
1882  as  the  result  of  political  events.  The  com- 
bined influence  of  the  province  and  city  of  Buenos 
Aires  had  so  preponderated  in  the  halls  of  national 
legislation  as  to  have  provoked  the  jealousy  of  the 
other  provinces  in  the  confederacy.  It  was  there- 
fore resolved  to  "federalize"  the  city,  separating  it 
from  the  province,  and  to  give  to  the  latter  a  new 
capital.  The  site  for  this  was  selected  on  the  pampa, 
a  few  miles  from  Ensenada,  which  until  the  develop- 
ment of  the  system  of  docks  at  Buenos  Aires  had 
been  the  main  port  of  entry  for  larger  vessels  com- 
ing to  the  River  Plate.  The  spot  selected  was  an 
expanse  of  treeless  grazing  land.  A  small  arroyo,  or 
brook,  discharged  its  sluggish  waters,  drained  from  the 
prairie,  into  the  inlet.  This  channel  was  forthwith 
deepened  and  converted  into  a  canal,  and  a    basin, 

108 


t 


i 


La  Plata  log 

capable  of  holding  vessels  drawing  twenty  feet,  was 
constructed  at  the  upper  end  of  the  channel  within  thr 
limits  of  the  proposed  city.  Plans  for  the  latter  were 
drawn  after  the  model  of  Washington.  The  streets 
were  staked  out  and  an  army  of  workmen  was  employed 
to  grade  and  pave  them.  The  necessary-  funds  to  con- 
struct public  buildings  were  secured  by  the  issue  of 
bonds,  the  credit  of  the  province  being  pledged  for  their 
payment,  and  their  erection  was  commenced  at  once. 
No  detail  was  omitted.  In  addition  to  the  buildings 
necessary  to  house  the  government  offices,  provision 
was  made  for  a  theater,  for  a  zoological  garden,  a 
system  of  parks,  an  astronomical  observatory,  a  uni- 
versity, a  museum,  a  cathedral,  in  short  everj'thing 
deemed  requisite  to  the  life  of  a  large  urban  community. 
Rapidly  growing  trees  were  planted  along  the  newly 
planned  streets  and  avenues.  The  officials  of  the 
province  were  informed  that  they  must  make  the  new 
city  their  home.  The  work  was  quickly  done,  and  the 
town  sprang  up  like  a  mushroom  over  night.  During 
the  early  years  of  its  existence  there  was  a  great  deal  of 
criticism.  Many  of  the  officials  preferred  to  live  in 
Buenos  Aires,  and  only  stayed  in  La  Plata  during  office- 
hours.  The  growth  of  ]X)pulation  was  slow  at  first. 
Grass  grew  up  in  the  streets.  Visitors  to  Argentina  in 
recording  their  impressions  of  the  country  slyly  derided 
the  "fiat  city,"  and  contrasted  it  unfavorably  with  the 
great  metropolis  with  its  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
inhabitants  a  few  miles  away.  One  of  my  good  friends, 
a  Professor  in  Princeton  University,  when  he  learned 
that  I  was  going  to  I^  Plata,  where  he  had  spent  six 
months  about  ten  years  ago,  informed  me  that  I  had  a 
novel  experience  before  me.  "You  will  find  a  city 
with  enough  grass  growing  in  its  thoroughfares  to  feed 


no         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

all  the  horses  in  Monmouth  County.  You  will  see  an 
array  of  splendid  buildings  erected  at  vast  expense, 
standing  in  almost  deserted  streets." 

I  had  arrived  in  this  cit}'  in  the  darkness  of  the  night. 
I  had  detected  no  grass  on  the  avenues  over  which  the 
carriage  which  had  brought  me  to  my  new  home  had 
rumbled.  When  I  awoke  I  was  filled  with  a  strong 
curiosity  to  see  the  place  by  the  light  of  day.  I  arose 
and  looked  from  the  window.  I  saw  a  beautiful  garden 
in  which  spring  flowers  were  blooming.  The  peach 
and  apple  trees  were  robed  in  pink  and  white.  The 
song  of  birds  was  in  the  air.  The  fragrance  of  freesias, 
which  bordered  the  parterres  in  great  masses,  was 
wafted  to  me,  and  the  odor  of  the  eucalyptus-groves 
which  formed  the  background  of  the  picture  and  over- 
hung the  house  was  gratefully  pungent.  After  a  bath 
I  strolled  into  the  garden,  and  found  on  every  hand 
evidence  that  I  was  indeed  installed  in  the  midst  of 
astronomical  surroundings.  There  came  back  to  me 
happy  memories  of  pleasant  times  passed  amidst  like 
environment  among  my  brethren  of  the  astronomical 
cult  at  various  places  in  the  United  States,  in  Tokyo, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Cam  in  England,  in  Paris,  and  where 
upon  the  shoulders  of  the  Glint  the  great  domes  of 
Pulkova  are  lifted  above  the  broad  river-meadows  of  the 
Neva.  I  was  presently  joined  by  my  kind  host,  Dr. 
Hussey,  and  he  pointed  out  to  me  the  various  edifices, 
and  told  me  something  of  his  plans  and  purposes  to 
employ  the  equipment  of  the  observatory  in  such  a  way 
as  to  make  it  useful. 

The  province  of  Buenos  Aires  has  expended  a  large 
sum  of  money  in  providing  instruments,  but  until 
recently  has  not  always  been  successful  in  obtaining 
the  services  of  an  eminently  competent  astronomer  to 


I 

La  Phita  in 

lake  charge  of  tlK-m.  Tlw  observatory  connected  with 
the  old  university  at  Cordoba,  the  capital  of  the  adjoin- 
ing province  of  the  same  name,  though  possessing  less 
costly  equipment  than  that  in  La  Plata,  has  achieved 
notable  results  in  the  sj)herc  of  astronomical  research. 
The  observatory  at  Cordoba  was  organized  in  1870 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Benjamin  A.  Gould,  who  for 
fifteen  years  continued  the  work,  during  which  time 
the  observatory  published  a  number  of  ver>'  important 
papers.  Dr.  Gould  was  succeeded  by  his  associate, 
Juan  M.  Thome,  from  Pennsylvania,  and  lately  the 
direction  of  the  observatory  has  been  given  to  Professor 
Charles  D.  Perrine,  whose  work  at  the  Lick  Observatory 
had  made  him  famous. 

In  April,  1887,  fifty-six  delegates,  representing  seven- 
teen nations,  met  for  the  purpose  of  discussing  plans 
for  forming  a  great  catalogue  of  the  stars.  vStars  to  the 
fourteenth  magnitude  were  to  be  obtained  on  photo- 
graphic plates.  Each  of  the  plates  covers  four  square 
degrees.  It  was  estimated  that  it  would  require  eleven 
thousand  i)lates  to  cover  the  entire  visible  heavens,  and 
that  u\K)n  these  plates  there  would  appear,  as  small 
white  points,  about  thirty  millions  of  stars.  Out  of 
these  it  was  determined  to  select  for  the  ])ermancnt 
catalogue  the  stars  ranging  from  the  first  to  the  eleventh 
magnitude,  estimated  to  be  more  than  a  million  in 
number.  Dr.  Gould,  of  the  C6rdoba  University,  was 
one  of  the  leading  spirits  in  organizing  this  great  under- 
taking. He,  however,  was  unable  to  prosecute  it  very 
far,  owing  to  his  removal  to  America,  and  the  work  in  the 
zones  assigned  to  the  observatory'  at  C6rdoba  was  largely 
carried  on  by  Professor  Thome  and  his  assistants.  The 
Uranometria  Argentina  up  to  date  gives  the  magni- 
tude of  about  eight   thousand    stars.     In  the  C6rdoba 


112         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

Durchmusterung  there  are  about  half  a  milHon  stars. 
In  this  work  of  photographing  the  southern  heavens  the 
observatory  at  La  Plata  was  intended  to  take  a  very 
active  part,  but  for  various  reasons  very  little  has  up 
to  the  present  time  been  done.  Now,  however,  the 
observatory  has  a  most  skillful  astronomer  at  its  head, 
and  it  may  be  anticipated  that  it,  as  well  as  the  observa- 
tory at  Cordoba,  will  begin  to  give  a  good  account  of 
itself.  It  is  true  in  all  scientific  effort  that  something 
more  is  needed  to  achieve  success  than  mere  machinery. 
Of  what  use  are  the  most  advanced  appliances  if  there 
be  lacking  the  power  to  use  them?  The  importance  of 
the  human  element  dare  never  be  overlooked.  Some 
very  worthy  people  are  obsessed  with  the  idea  that 
power  is  secured  by  the  multiplication  of  machines, 
forgetting  the  fact  that  after  all  it  is  "the  man  behind 
the  gun"  who  should  be  the  supreme  concern.  Here  I 
was  standing  in  the  morning  sunshine,  on  the  broad 
grounds  of  an  observatory  where  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  dollars  have  been  spent  in  securing  the  very  latest 
and  best  appliances  for  discovering  the  secrets  of  the 
skies,  and  yet  where  until  this  moment  practically  little 
has  been  done,  except  to  supply  time-signals  to  the  naval 
stations  of  the  republic,  a  service  which  could  be  ren- 
dered at  an  outlay  of  a  fraction  of  that  which  this  great 
establishment  has  cost.  It  is  much  easier  to  purchase 
a  supply  of  scientific  tools  than  to  find  a  man  with  the 
genius  to  use  them  well. 

It  was  with  such  refiections  that  I  went  with  my  kind 
host  on  a  stroll  through  the  grounds  of  the  Observatory. 
He  showed  me  the  dome  under  which  is  the  large  refract- 
ing telescope,  the  almost  equally  large  dome  under 
which  are  the  photographic  telescopes.  He  pointed  out 
a  dozen  other  buildings  large  and  small,  all  prepared 


La  Plata  n.^ 

for  use.  He  said:  "There  is  here  enough  scientific 
apparatus  to  fully  occupy  the  time  of  half  a  dozen 
astronomers."  We  returned  to  the  residence.  It  is  a 
large  building,  one  story  in  height.  In  the  middle  are 
two  open  courts  or  patios.  Surrounding  them  are  the 
living  apartments  of  the  Director  and  certain  members 
of  his  Staff;  the  library',  containing  a  fine  collection  of 
books  relating  to  astronomy  and  physics;  and  a  number 
of  offices  and  laboratories.  The  style  of  the  building,  as 
that  of  most  of  the  homes  in  La  Plata,  recalls  Granada 
and  Seville.  It  was  time  for  breakfast,  which  we 
enjoyed  all  the  more  for  our  little  promenade  through 
the  grounds  of  the  establishment. 

We  had  not  finished  (nir  meal  when  Professor  Roth 
was  announced.  He  appeared  with  smiling  face,  an- 
nouncing that  he  had  come  to  guide  us  to  the  Museum, 
which  is  situated  in  the  park  facing  the  Zoological 
Gardens,  only  a  few  steps  from  the  Observatory.  As 
the  Museum  was  the  objective  point  of  our  long  journey, 
I  was  glad  to  immediately  go  with  the  genial  Doctor, 
and  confess  that  when  I  first  saw  its  exterior  and  entered 
the  building,  I  felt  astoni.shment  at  finding  so  noble  an 
edifice,  so  well  adapted  to  its  purposes,  in  this  far-off 
land.  The  National  Museum  in  La  Plata  owes  its 
existence  very  largely  to  Dr.  Francisco  P.  Moreno, 
naturalist,  geographer,  and  statesman,  who  enjoys 
the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of 
Argentina.  He  devoted  the  earlier  years  of  his  life  to 
the  exploration  of  southwestern  Argentina  and  Pata- 
gonia, and  applied  himself  with  unremitting  assiduity 
to  researches  in  various  departments  of  the  natural 
sciences.  He  thus  laid  broad  and  deep  the  foundations 
of  the  knowledge  of  his  country  which  subsequently 
enabled  him,  as  the  High  Commissioner  of  Argentina, 


114         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

to  successfully  guide  the  negotiations  which  led  to  the 
adjustment  of  the  boundary  dispute  between  Argentina 
and  Chili.  He  ably  represented  his  country  in  the 
arbitration  proceedings  which  were  held  in  London  and 
concluded  before  the  late  King  Edward  \'II.  A  war 
between  the  two  southern  republics  w^as  thus  happily 
averted.  Dr.  Moreno  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  most 
learned  men  at  the  present  time  in  South  America,  and 
a  true  patriot.  When  the  plan  of  creating  the  new 
capital  at  La  Plata  w^as  formed,  he  determined  to 
give  to  the  Museum  the  large  collections  which  he 
had  already  made,  and  to  consecrate  to  it  his  efforts 
and  a  large  sum  from  his  private  resources.  This 
great  national  institution  may  be  regarded  as  a  lasting 
memorial  of  the  intelligent  and  self-sacrificing  labors 
of  this  great  man,  whose  best  efforts  were  consecrated 
to  its  foundation,  and  of  which  he  was  the  first  Director. 
At  either  side  of  the  main  staircase  leading  to  the 
entrance  of  the  museum  are  large  models  of  the  sabre- 
toothed  tiger,  a  huge  cat  which  once  roamed  the 
pampas,  and  which  must  have  been  more  formidable 
than  the  jaguar  of  the  present  day.  To  meet  the  archi- 
tectural requirements  of  their  position,  the  figures  are  of 
colossal  size,  like  the  lions  which  are  grouped  about 
Nelson's  Monument  in  Trafalgar  Square.  They  very 
appropriately  guard  the  entrance  to  this  institution, 
in  which  is  assembled  one  of  the  finest  collections 
representing  the  animal  life  of  the  past  in  South  America. 
The  rotunda  of  the  Museum,  which  the  visitor  first 
enters,  is  surmounted  by  a  glazed  dome  and  surrounded 
by  a  circular  gallery  on  the  second  floor.  The  walls  of 
the  rotunda  are  decorated  with  large  paintings  repre- 
senting the  life  of  prehistoric  man  in  the  New^  World, 
the  customs  of  the  Indians  of  the  pampas,  who  until 


La  Plata  115 

yesterday  continued  to  make  a  bold  stand  against  the 
encroachments  of  the  white  settlers,  and  the  landscapes 
of  the  Andean  region.  Thei^c  paintings  were  executed 
by  well-known  German  and  French  artists  brought  from 
Europe  for  the  purpose.  The  view  of  El  Tronador,  the 
great  alpine  peak  which  dominates  one  of  the  valleys 
in  the  lake-region  of  Argentina,  is  particularly  impres- 
sive.   On  the  first  floor  of  the  rotunda,  confronting  the 


Fig  If).     Skull  of  Sabre-toothed  Tiger,  Smilodon 

neogaus  Lund.     \  natural  size. 
Drawn  from  specimens  in  the  Carnegie  Mustum 

entrance,  is  the  skull  of  an  enormous  whale.  The  col- 
lection of  skeletons  of  the  Cetacea  in  the  possession  of 
the  museum  is  singularly  large  and  fine.  Many  species, 
great  and  small,  are  represented.  With  the  exception 
of  the  great  collection  of  whales  in  the  British  Museum 
of  Natural  History  made  by  the  late  Sir  William  H. 
Flower,  this  appears  to  me  to  be  the  finest  assemblage 
of  its  kind  in  existence,  and  surpasses  the  British  col- 
lection in  the  fact  that  it  is  odorless.  Every  one  who 
has  visited  the  "WhaJeroom"  at  South  Kensington 
carries  away  a  memory  of  the  disagreeable  smell  of 
whale-oil  which  jxirvades  it.     Here  in  La  Plata  they 


ii6         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

have  succeeded  in  so  thoroughly  bleaching  the  bones 
and  removing  the  grease  that  no  odor  is  perceptible. 
I  asked  how  this  had  been  accomplished  and  was  shown 
a  large  tank  in  one  of  the  courts,  in  which  I  was  told 
that  a  skilful  German  preparator  had  carefully  boiled 
the  skeletons  in  a  moderately  strong  solution  of  lye, 
which  he  diluted  from  time  to  time  as  evaporation  took 
place.  He  certainly  succeeded  in  performing  his  task 
most  successfully. 

In  the  same  gallery  to  the  left  of  the  entrance,  in 
which  the  skeletons  of  the  whales  hang  from  the  ceiling, 
there  is  a  considerable  collection  of  mounted  skeletons 
of  recent  vertebrates  arranged  upon  the  floor.  Among 
them  I  noted  with  almost  covetous  eyes  the  skeleton  of 
one  of  the  strange  niata  race  of  cattle.  In  these  crea- 
tures there  has  occurred  the  same  modification  of  the 
bones  of  the  cranium  and  the  jaws  which  has  taken 
place  in  the  bulldog.  The  bones  of  the  nose  and  face 
have  become  shortened,  and  the  bones  of  the  lower  jaw 
have  assumed  an  upward  curve.  Charles  Darwin  in 
The  Voyage  of  H.  M.  S.  Beagle  speaks  of  having  seen 
living  specimens  of  these  animals.     He  says : 

Their  forehead  is  very  short  and  broad,  with  the  nasal 
end  turned  up,  and  the  upper  lip  much  drawn  back;  their 
lower  jaws  project  beyond  the  upper,  and  have  a  corre- 
sponding upward  curve;  hence  their  teeth  are  always 
exposed.  Their  nostrils  arc  situated  high  up  and  are  very 
open;  their  eyes  project  outwards.  When  walking  they 
carry  their  heads  low,  on  a  short  neck;  and  their  hinder 
legs  are  rather  longer  compared  with  the  front  legs  than  is 
usual.  Their  bare  teeth,  their  short  heads,  and  upturned 
nostrils  give  them  the  most  ludicrous  self-confident  air  of 
defiance  imaginable. 

According    to    information    obtained   by    Darwin    the 


La  Plata 


i'7 


Fig.  1 1 .     Skull  of  "  pug-faced  " 
or  Niata  cow. 


breed  originated  about  the  middle  of    the  eighteenth 

century'  among  the  cattle  belonging  to  the  Indian  tribes 

living  to  the  south 

of  the  River  Plate. 

When    Darwin 

wrote,    they    were 

reported  to  be  the 

commonest     breed 

in    the    possession 

of  the  Indians,  but 

in    the    vicinity  of 

Buenos  Aires  were 

kept  as  curiosities. 

Dr.  Bruch,  the 

learned  Curator  of 

Zoology  at  the  Museum  of  La  Plata,  informs  me  that 

the   race    is   either    verging    upon  extinction,    or    has 

already    become    totally    extinct.     Although  it  is  still 

reported  to  survive  in  the  Province  of  Catamarca,  Dr. 

Bruch  told  me  that  a  German  naturalist,  who  recently 

visited  Argentina  for  the  express  purjKiso  of  studying 

these  creatures  and  traveled  widely  in  quest  of  them, 

was  unable  to  see  or  secure  a  single  specimen. 

In  the  semicircular  gallery  beyond  the  collection  of 
skeletons  is  arranged  a  large  assemblage  of  mounted 
mammals,  and  still  farther  on  the  visitor  comes  to 
the  collection  of  birds.  I  was  naturally  interested  in 
closely  examining  ever>'thing  presented  to  view,  and 
although  upon  the  occasion  of  my  first  visit  to  the 
Museum  I  was  only  able  to  give  a  passing  glance  to 
the  collections,  I  often  returned  at  later  times  to  study 
the  specimens.  In  the  center  of  the  building  and 
o{)ening  from  the  rotunda  is  the  Gallery-  of  Mineralogy, 
in  charge  of  Dr.  Walther  Schiller.     The  very  extensive 


ii8 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


archeological  and  ethnological  collections  are  in  part 
lodged  upon  the  first  floor,  but  the  greater  portion  are 
displayed  in  the  galleries  upon  the  second  floor.  The 
Curator  of  these  collections  is  Dr.  Robert  Lehmann- 
Nitsche.  Both  Dr.  Schiller  and  Dr.  Lehmann-Nitsche 
are  men  of  the  highest  scientific  attainments,  and  their 
contributions  to  those  branches  of  science,  which  they 
have  made  their  special  study,  have  given  them  inter- 
national reputation.  To  the  right  of  the  rotunda  we 
were  ushered  into  a  gallery,  at  the  moment  vacant, 
except  for  the  wall-cases  lining  it  and  the  presence  on 
the  floor  of  the  still  unfinished  bases  upon  which  the 
skeleton  of  the  Diplodocus  was  to  be  set  up.  Here  the 
Staff  of  the  Museum,  so  far  as  able  to  be  present,  met 
us.  We  were  told  that  Dr.  Samuel  Lafone-Quevedo, 
the  Director  of  the  Museum,  was  on  the  seas,  hastening 
homeward  after  a  vacation  spent  in  Europe,  and  that 
Dr.  Ernesto  Herrero-Ducloux,  the  Assistant  Director, 
who  had  been  ordered  by  his  physician  to  a  health- 
resort,  would  be  back  in  a  few  days,  and  I  was  handed 
a  polite  telegram  from  him,  bidding  me  welcome  in  his 
absence.  Dr.  Santiago  Roth,  as  Acting  Director, 
informed  us  that  the  instructions  sent  by  letter  had  all 
been  carried  out,  and  that  the  force  of  laborers  con- 
nected with  the  institution  was  at  our  command.  It 
was  not  long  before  we  discovered  that  there  were  differ- 
ences of  opinion  among  the  learned  gentlemen  present 
as  to  which  would  be  the  most  effective  way  in  which 
to  display  the  great  specimen.  One  advocated  putting 
the  head  toward  the  rotunda,  another  advocated  the 
reverse.  One  thought  the  tail  should  be  stretched  out 
to  its  full  length,  another  thought  that  it  should  be 
mounted,  as  he  had  seen  it  displayed  in  Paris,  with  its 
tail  curved  forward  toward  the  head.     The  discussion 


L.i  Pl.tta  1 1'^ 

was  amusing  and  was  volubly  carricti  on  in  French, 
(iciman,  and  vSpanish.  the  disputants  on  the  impulse 
of  the  moment  passing  from  the  use  of  one  language 
to  that  of  another.  The  ludierous  character  of  the 
debate  finally  provoked  a  burst  of  laughter,  and  at 
the  suggestion  of  the  writer  it  was  decided  that  upon  the 
whole  it  would  be  best  to  defer  the  settlement  of  the 
questions  at  issue  until  the  return  in  a  few  days  of 
the  Assistant  Director,  who  would  have  plenary  power  to 
decide  them.  It  was  pointed  out  that  it  would  require 
several  days  to  carefully  unpack  the  thirty-four  large 
bo.xes  in  the  basement  in  which  the  replica  had  been 
brought  from  Pittsburgh,  and  possibly  to  repair  some 
minor  defects,  should  any  breakage  have  occurred,  and 
that  no  time  would  be  lost  by  letting  the  matter  go  over 
until  Dr.  Hcrrero-Ducloux  should  resume  his  post. 
Orders  were  at  once  given  to  begin  the  work  of  unpack- 
ing. Thereuiwn  Dr.  Roth  hurried  me  into  the  great 
halls  of  paleontology,  which  are  his  special  domain,  and 
pointed  out  to  me  the  truly  wonderful  collection  of 
skeletons  of  the  e.xtinct  animals  of  Argentina  which  has 
been  brought  together.  It  was  only  a  rapid  glance 
which  could  at  the  moment  be  given  to  these  things,  but 
it  was  most  illuminating  and  interesting.  No  collec- 
tion in  any  museum  is  complete,  but  here  I  f(Hmd  what 
I  think  must  be  admitted  to  be  upon  the  whole  the  best 
representation  of  the  strange  forms  of  mammalian 
life  which  once  e.xisted  u]K)n  the  pampas.  Many  of  the 
specimens  are  singularly  perfect,  and  all  are  well  dis- 
played and  mounted.  From  the  first  floor  we  ascended 
to  the  second,  and  were  introduced  to  the  Librarian. 
We  visited  the  Art  Galleries  in  a  hurried  way,  and  the 
rooms  in  which  the  students  of  art  in  the  University 
were  pursuing  their  studies.     Our  round  of  these  apart- 


120         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

ments  was  merely  preliminary,  and  was  intended  to 
enable  us  hereafter  to  be  able  to  get  our  bearings.  Then 
we  descended  to  the  basement  and  the  laboratories  and 
the  work  of  opening  boxes  began.  Thanks  to  the  skill 
of  the  operatives  in  the  Carnegie  Museum  and  the  good 
judgment  employed  in  packing  the  specimens  we  found 
that  there  had  been  no  breakage  of  consequence  in 
anything  which  we  took  out  that  morning,  and  this 
experience  was  renewed  on  following  days.  Although 
our  boxes  had  traveled  farther  than  ever  on  similar 
occasions,  the  damage  sustained  in  transport  was  less. 
But  thus  far  we  had  not  seen  anything  of  the  "grass- 
grown"  streets  of  La  Plata.  We  were  told  that  a  stand- 
ing invitation  to  lunch  and  dine  at  the  Colegio  Nacional 
of  the  University  had  been  extended  to  us,  and  the 
Principal,  Dr.  Ernesto  Nelson,  came  in  person  to  rein- 
force the  kind  invitation.  It  was  the  noon-hour,  and 
accordingly  we  quitted  our  work  in  the  Museum,  and 
repaired  in  company  with  Dr.  Hussey  and  Dr.  Nelson 
to  the  residence  of  the  latter.  Our  walk  led  us  by  an 
avenue,  lined  with  stately  eucalyptus-trees,  to  the 
plaza,  upon  which  stands  the  rather  imposing  building 
of  the  municipal  court,  then  to  the  right,  past  the  main 
buildings  of  the  University  to  the  buildings  of  the 
Internada,  or  students'  lodging-house.  But  we  found 
no  grass  in  the  streets.  In  fact  the  day  of  grassy  streets 
in  La  Plata  has  passed.  It  has  survived  the  days  of 
its  infancy.  It  is  to-day  a  city  of  nearly  one  hundred 
thousand  inhabitants,  and  is  fulfilling  the  hopes  of  its 
founders.  It  is  growing  rapidly,  and  the  fact  of  its 
advancement  is  most  plainly  revealed  in  the  increase 
in  the  value  of  real  estate  which  has  taken  place  in 
recent  years.  Listening  to  the  accounts  given  me  by 
my  friends,  it  was  easy  to  understand  that  La  Plata  has 


La  PLita  iji 

had,  as  we  say  in  tlie  United  SUitcs,  a  very  subslaiUial 
"b(M)m,"  which  is  not  yet  over. 

From  Madame  Nelson,  the  cliarming  and  acconi- 
pHshcd  wiic  of  the  Professor,  and  from  various  members 
of  the  Faculty  of  the  College,  we  received  a  jjleasant 
welcome,  and  soon  found  ourselves  at  tabic  surrounded 
by  groups  of  manly  young  fellows,  whose  fax'S  recalled 
days  long  gone,  when  we  were  students,  and  had  lunched 
and  dined  in  just  such  comradeship.  If  youth  derives 
a  quickening  impulse  from  contact  with  those  of  maturer 
years,  it  is  equally  true  that  those  of  advancing  years 
find  pleasure  and  profit  from  mingling  with  those  who 
are  young.  It  was  an  inspiring  sight  to  sit  at  table  and 
look  around  over  the  company  of  fine  young  men  which 
was  gathered  in  the  dining-hall.  They  represented  the 
hopes  of  the  best  families  in  the  republic.  The  com- 
posite nature  of  the  pojmlation  of  Argentina  revealed 
itself  in  the  study  of  the  faces  before  me.  The  lan- 
guage in  use  was  Spanish,  but  the  blood  of  all  races 
showed  itself  in  the  countenances  of  the  company. 
One  young  fellow  with  ruddy  complexion  and  flaxen 
hair  showed  at  first  glance  that  he  traced  his  descent 
back  to  "  Merrie  England  " ;  another,  of  even  fairer  face, 
that  his  forbears  had  come  from  Sweden;  there  was  no 
mistaking  the  Teutonic  ancestry  of  a  round- visaged, 
sturdy  lad  who  sat  opposite  me;  others  showed  by  their 
darker  complexion  and  their  glorious  black  eyes  that 
they  were  the  inheritors  of  the  traditions  of  the  Latin 
races.  In  some  of  the  faces  there  was  an  even  darker 
tint,  not  unlovely,  but  attractive,  which  tinted  at  the 
fact,  that,  when  the  land  was  first  settled,  an  Indian 
maid  had  consented  to  be  wooed  and  won  by  some  strong 
man  of  Euro{)ean  lineage,  and  had  been  a  mother  to  his 
sons.     After  luncheon  many  of  these  lads  w^ere  intro- 


122        To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

duced  to  me.  Their  manly  frankness  and  poise  was 
delightful.  They  were  indeed  "young  gentlemen." 
One  of  them  confided  to  me  that  he  was  deepl}'  inter- 
ested in  the  study  of  geology  and  paleontology,  and  of 
course  he  was  cordially  invited  to  come  to  the  Museum, 
and  learn  a  few  things  which  might  possibly  interest 
him.  Another  told  me  that  it  was  his  ambition,  when 
he  had  completed  his  course  of  study  in  La  Plata,  to 
take  a  post-graduate  course  in  North  America,  and 
asked  me  to  tell  him  about  the  great  institutions  of  my 
own  land.  We  soon  made  friends.  On  this  and  sub- 
sequently on  frequent  occasions  the  writer  had  oppor- 
tunity to  observe  with  pleasure  the  manner  in  which 
Dr.  Nelson  and  his  associates,  as  the  guardians  of  the 
social  life  of  the  students  in  the  college  of  the  University, 
are  endeavoring  to  create  in  their  minds  a  respect  for 
the  higher  ideals  of  a  true  democracy.  The  mainten- 
ance of  discipline  and  order  is  relegated  very  largely  to 
the  students  themselves,  who  constitute  a  miniature 
republic,  choosing  their  own  officers,  and  laying  down 
their  own  laws,  subject  to  the  friendly  advice  and  sug- 
gestion of  the  Faculty.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Nelson  have  both 
lived  and  studied  in  the  United  States,  and  are  endeav- 
oring to  apply  the  i)rinciples  of  advanced  pedagogic 
science  to  the  practical  problems  before  them.  That 
they  are  succeeding  cannot  be  doubted,  and  in  years  to 
come  they  will  reap  their  reward  in  the  gratitude  of  a 
generation  of  men,  upon  whose  shoulders  the  govern- 
ment of  the  nation  will  then  rest,  and  who  will  rise  up 
and  bless  them  for  the  loving  sympathy  and  inspiring 
guidance  which  they  received  in  their  youth. 

A  few  days  later  we  were  invited  to  attend  the  Com- 
mencement-exercises of  the  University.  The}''  recalled 
those  of  similar  institutions  in  our  own  land  three  or 


La  Plata  123 

four  decades  ago,  before  academic  costumes  had  come 
into  vogue,  and  the  pomp  and  ceremony  which  now 
characterize  such  occasions  had  been  initiated.  It  all 
took  me  back  to  the  days  of  my  boyhood.  There  was 
a  great  gathering  of  the  friends  and  kinsfolk  of  the 
young  men.  As  a  guest  of  the  University  I  was  invited 
to  a  place  upon  the  platform,  and  from  this  point  of 
vantage  was  able  to  scan  the  audience  in  which  grave 
fathers,  fond  mothers,  and  smiling  senoritas  composed  a 
picture  upon  which  it  was  pleasant  to  look.  It  was  not 
unlike  similar  audiences  on  Commencement-day  in  any 
North  American  college-town.  There  were  depicted 
in  the  faces  before  me  the  same  anxieties,  the  same 
hopes,  the  same  pleasurable  emoti(ins,  which  I  have  seen 
again  and  again  on  like  occasions  at  home.  All  the 
world  is  kin. 

The  President  of  the  University  of  La  Plata,  Dr.  Joa- 
(}uin  V.  Gonzalez,  who  held  the  position  of  Minister  of 
Justice  and  Education  during  the  Presidency  of  Dr. 
Jose  Figueroa  Alcorta,  the  immediate  predecessor  of 
President  Roque  Saenz  Peiia,  I  discov^ered  to  be  a  man 
of  lofty  ideals  and  great  i)ersonal  charm.  He  lectures 
upon  international  law  and  diplomacy.  Associated 
with  him  in  the  Faculty  is  Senor  Don  Agustin  Alvarez, 
who  likewise  has  held  high  positions  in  the  government, 
and  lectures  uix)n  the  history  of  public  institutions. 
For  Dr.  Alvarez  I  conceived  great  admiration.  He  is 
a  diligent  student  of  the  institutions  and  the  literature 
of  the  English-speaking  peoples  of  to-day,  as  well  as 
familiar  with  the  best  thought  of  continental  Europe 
and  his  own  land.  I  found  him  as  ready  to  talk  about 
Bernard  Shaw  as  about  Shakespeare,  and  as  thoroughly 
acquainted  vriih  the  writings  of  Theodore  Roosevelt 
as  with  those  of  Alexander  Hamilton.     He  has  fine 


124         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

command  of  the  English  language,  and  is  keenly  alive 
to  the  play  of  wit  and  humor.  Seated  beside  me  at 
table  on  the  occasion  of  our  first  meeting,  he  began  to 
apologize  for  his  defective  English.  "My  dear  Doctor 
Alvarez,"  I  ventured  to  say,  "you  should  make  no 
apologies.  You  speak  English  perfectly.  But  should 
you  even  now  and  then  make  a  slip,  what  would  that 
signify?  Water  in  a  cracked  glass  tastes  as  sweet  to 
the  thirsty  as  if  proffered  in  one  without  a  flaw.  The 
purpose  of  language  is  to  convey  ideas."  He  turned 
and  said:  "Experience  teaches  me  that  language  is 
not  always  a  vehicle  for  ideas.  Some  men,  who  have 
a  vast  command  of  language,  fail  altogether  to  impart 
ideas.  Loquacity  without  sense  is  a  common  phe- 
nomenon. "  I  shall  always  remember  this  keen,  quick- 
witted gentleman.  It  is  a  goodly  company  of  brainy, 
high-minded  men  who  have  been  brought  together  to 
form  the  Faculty  of  this  new  university  of  the  south. 
I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  them  all,  and  was  greatly 
impressed  with  their  attainments  and  their  earnestness. 
It  augurs  well  for  Argentina  that  such  men  are  in 
charge  of  the  education  of  her  youth. 

I  had  been  but  a  few  days  in  La  Plata  when  my  kind 
host,  Dr.  Hussey,  informed  me  that  he  had  been  in- 
structed to  repair  to  Rio  de  Janeiro  to  observe,  on 
October  loth,  a  total  eclipse  of  the  sun,  and  insisted  that 
I  should  remain  where  I  was.  In  effect  he  turned  over 
the  residence  of  the  Observatory  to  my  care,  bidding  me 
make  myself  at  home  during  his  absence.  I  am  sure 
he  will  testify  that  I  did  not  interfere  with  the  instru- 
ments, or  meddle  with  the  signal-service,  which  he 
left  under  the  care  of  his  assistant,  Sefior  Chaves.  His 
major  domo  cared  for  my  wants,  which  were  not  many, 
and  Mrs.  Colliau  with  unfailing  kindness  attended  to 


La  ri.ita  125 

having  my  eggs  and  coffee  prepared  for  nie  in  the 
morning.  When  occasionally  of  evenings  I  wearied  of 
solitude,  I  had  the  pleasure  of  enjoying  the  kind  hospi- 
tality of  my  friends  of  the  Faculty,  who  invited  me  to 
their  homes,  or  I  now  and  then  betook  myself  to  the 
Sportman's  Hotel,  the  leading  establishment  of  its 
kind  in  the  place,  where  I  was  almost  sure  to  lind  certain 
"unattached"  gentlemen  of  the  Faculty,  who  were  in 
the  habit  of  dining  there.  The  Sportman's  Hotel  is  an 
institution  of  which  I  can  only  speak  well,  but  it  would 
hardly  be  double-starred  by  Baedeker.  Why  it  bears 
its  name  is  for  me  an  insoluble  riddle.  The  "ts"  in  the 
word  Sportsman  being  un})ronounceable  by  those  who 
speak  Spanish,  it  is  called  "Spormans  Hotel"  by  the 
educated  natives,  and  "Pormans"  by  the  cochcros. 
There  was  a  suggestion  of  propriety  in  the  latter  pro- 
nunciation in  view  of  some  things.  But  I  passed 
some  pleasant  evenings  there,  and  picked  up  a  few 
acquaintances  who  amused  me.  One  evening  I  came 
in  a  little  early  and  found  that  I  was  the  first  person 
to  seat  myself  except  a  tall  handsome  man  of  alert 
countenance,  who  was  sitting  at  a  small  table  next  to 
that  at  which  I  had  placed  myself.  He  presently 
accosted  me  in  jjlcasant  tones  and  said,  ""^'ou  are  a 
fellow-countryman  of  mine,  I  judge,  why  should  we  not 
take  seats  together?  "  An  exchange  of  cards  was  made. 
I  found  that  my  acquaintance  was  a  salesman,  repre- 
senting the  largest  firm  in  the  United  States  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  firearms.  For  nearly  a  lifetime 
he  had  been  engaged  in  furnishing  weapons  to  the 
Central  or  South  American  states,  now  dealing  with  the 
governments  in  power,  now  furnishing  the  parties 
essaying  to  get  into  jx)wer  with  the  munitions  of  war. 
I  sat  until   near  midnight  listening  with  imabated 


126         To  the  Ri\er  Plate  and  Back 

attention  to  the  tales  my  newly-iound  acquaintance 
told,  realizing  that  in  his  graphic  recitals  of  adventure 
there  was  material  for  many  a  romance  as  stirring  as 
any  which  have  made  the  reputations  of  noted  writers, 
whom  I  might  name.  During  the  long  years  that  he 
has  been  following  his  calling  as  a  merchant  of  arms  he 
has  seen  the  inside  of  many  stirring  movements.  He 
told  me  of  the  genuine  patriotism  and  self-denial  shown 
by  some  of  the  men  with  whom  he  had  had  dealings  in 
the  past,  and  he  told  me  of  some  things  which  show  that 
the  devil  still  has  his  servants  on  this  earth.  I  cannot 
repeat  the  tales  he  told  me  as  they  deserve  to  be  nar- 
rated, and,  even  if  I  could,  it  would  perhaps  not  be 
wise  to  do  so.  There  is  one,  however,  which  I  am 
tempted  to  outline,  omitting  the  names,  which  I  still 
recall.  It  is  the  tale  of  a  railway  which  was  stolen  and 
sold  as  junk.  In  the  northern  part  of  the  continent  of 
South  America  there  is  a  republic  over  which  there 
ruled  many  years  ago  a  President  who  had  a  worthless 
nephew.  When  the  President  came  into  power  he 
provided  for  this  nephew  by  putting  him  at  the  head  of 
a  railway  belonging  to  the  government.  It  was  not 
much  of  a  road.  It  ran  from  a  small  harbor  on  the 
coast  about  thirty  kilometers  into  the  interior  and  ended 
there.  The  salary  of  the  scapegrace  nephew  was  con- 
siderable, and  was  paid  from  the  public  treasury,  irre- 
spective of  the  earnings  of  the  line.  But  although 
his  salary  was  regularly  forthcoming,  the  nephew  had 
expensive  and  extravagant  habits,  and  was  always 
looking  about  for  means  to  lay  his  hands  upon  more 
money  than  he  received.     It  happened  presently  that 

Captain  P ,  an  unscrupulous  rover  of  the  seas,  who 

owned  and  commanded  a  couple  of  large  schooners, 
with  which  he  tramped  from  port  to  port,  picking  up 


1^1  Plata  127 

odd  jobs,  drifted  into  I  Ik*  harbor  and  struck  ujj  an 
acquaintance  with  the  young  man.  After  a  while  llic- 
Captain  aj^proached  him,  saying :  "  You  are  not  making 
enough  money  on  your  Hne.  Do  you  wish  to  know  how 
you  could  make  it  pay  you  handsomely?"  The 
Captain  found  a  ready  listener.  "The  thing  is  simple. 
Wreck  it!  Beginning  up  there  in  the  country,  take  up 
the  rails,  and  bring  them  down  to  the  port.  I  will  load 
them  and  sell  them  in  New  Orleans  as  junk.  We  can 
get  about  $100,000  for  the  stuff.  I  will  accept  one 
half  as  my  share;  you  can  have  the  other."  Under 
pretense  that  the  okl  rails  were  to  be  immediately 
replaced  by  new  metal,  the  thing  was  done,  slyly, 
quickly.  When  the  storm  broke,  the  Captain  was 
across  seas,  and  the  nephew  was  in  Paris.  Both  are 
dead  now,  and  so  is  the  President.  Railways  have 
frequently  been  stolen  in  the  United  States,  but  the 
thieves  generally  leave  the  rails  upon  the  ground. 


CHAPTER   XI 

ARGENTINA 

"  English  and  Irish,  French  and  Spanish, 
Germans,  Italians,  Dutch  and  Danish, 
Crossing  their  veins  until  they  vanish 
In  one  conglomeration." — Saxe. 

IF  an  outline  map  of  Argentina  were  to  be  superimposed 
upon  a  map  of  North  America,  drawn  to  the  same 
scale,  with  its  southern  extremity  resting  upon  the 
southern  tip  of  Florida,  the  northern  part  of  Argentina 
would  overlap  the  greater  part  of  Labrador.  The 
territory  of  the  Argentine  Republic  extends  from  south 
to  north  almost  as  far  as  it  is  from  Key  West  to  Davis 
Strait.  The  area  covered  by  the  republic  is  equal  in 
size  to  all  of  the  territory  of  the  United  States  east  of  a 
meridian  drawn  through  St.  Joseph,  Missouri.  As 
great  a  range  of  climate  as  that  which  prevails  between 
Cuba  and  Labrador  exists  in  Argentina.  Tierra  del 
Fuego  has  a  climate  like  that  of  northern  Norway  and 
Sweden,  but  moister,  and  therefore  less  agreeable; 
while  the  Territory  of  Chaco  in  northern  Argentina 
reaches  into  the  tropics  and  has  a  very  hot  climate. 
The  greater  part  of  Argentina  lies  within  the  South 
Temperate  Zone.  Buenos  Aires,  the  capital,  is  located 
on  almost  the  same  parallel  of  latitude  as  Capetown, 
the  metropolis  of  South  Africa,  and  the  republic 
extends  twelve  hundred  miles  south  of  this  point,  so 

128 


I 


Argentina  129 

that  its  southern  extremity  is  as  near  the  South  Pole 
as  Sitka  in  Alaska  is  to  the  North  Pole.  The  climatic 
conditions  are  favorable  to  the  Caucasian  race,  except 
in  the  extreme  south  and  the  extreme  north.  The 
people  of  Argentina,  like  the  people  of  Uruguay,  arc 
fond  of  boasting  that  theirs  is  a  *'  white  man's  country. " 
The  climate  of  Buenos  Aires  is  not  unlike  that  of 
Jacksonville,  Florida.  In  midwinter,  that  is  to  say, 
in  the  months  of  July  and  August,  a  little  hoar-frost  is 
reported  occasionally  to  have  been  seen  in  the  suburbs 
after  a  cold  night,  and  now  and  then  a  few  needles  of 
ice  form  upon  shallow  pools,  but  this  is  very  uncommon. 
Farther  south  the  winters  are  colder,  and  the  tempera- 
ture, throughout  extensive  areas,  is  much  like  that  of 
New  England  and  the  Middle  States,  but,  owing  to 
the  arid  nature  of  much  of  this  region,  there  has  as  yet 
been  little  effort  made  to  effect  settlement,  and  it  is 
given  over  almost  exclusively  to  sheep-herders  and 
cattlemen,  who  wander  about  from  place  to  place  in 
(juest  of  i)asture  for  their  animals.  Still  farther  south, 
in  the  region  of  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  the  winters  are 
severe,  although  owing  to  the  proximity  of  the  ocean 
and  the  direction  of  the  air-currents,  they  are  not  as 
rigorous  as  in  northern  Ontario,  and  southern  Labrador, 
with  which  the  latitude  corresponds.  There  is  an 
enormous  precipitation  of  moisture  in  the  southernmost 
part  of  the  land.  Snow  falls  in  Tierra  del  Fuego  in 
every  month  of  the  year,  and  when  it  is  not  snowing, 
it  is  raining.  The  skies  leak  perpetually.  This  fact 
has  not  deterred  a  few  Scotchmen  from  taking  up  their 
abode  there,  and  they  are  engaged  amicist  the  mists, 
denser  even  than  those  of  their  own  native  highlands, 
in  raising  sheep,  which  are  rep)orted  to  do  well. 

Topographically    Argentina    is    divided    into    three 


130         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

regions.  The  first  includes  the  plains  of  the  eastern 
and  northern  parts  of  the  country ;  the  second  embraces 
the  Andean  ranges  and  the  high  plateaus  between 
them ;  the  third  is  the  elevated,  more  or  less  broken,  and 
arid  plateau  of  Patagonia. 

The  eastern  portion  of  the  country  from  the  Rio 
Negro  to  the  Pilcomayo  is  a  vast  plain  raised  but  little 
above  the  level  of  the  sea  along  the  Atlantic,  but  grad- 
ually sloping  upward  toward  the  Andes  and  the  north- 
ern interior.  This  is  the  region  of  the  pampas.  The 
word  "pampa, "  which  is  of  Indian  origin  and  means 
"flat  land, "  is  used  in  Argentina  very  much  in  the  same 
sense  that  the  people  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  employ 
the  word  ' '  prairie. ' '  It  designates  a  broad,  level  expanse 
of  country  more  or  less  densely  clothed  with  low  vegeta- 
tion. The  character  of  the  vegetation  varies  according 
to  latitude.  In  the  Provinces  of  Buenos  Aires,  Cordoba, 
Santa  Fe,  Entre  Rios,  and  the  Territory  of  Pampa,  the 
prairies  are  absolutely  treeless,  except  where  in  recent 
years  groves  have  been  planted ;  in  the  north  they  are 
more  or  less  densely  covered  with  palms  and  other  trop- 
ical vegetation.  These  growths  in  the  hot  regions  do 
not,  however,  form  unbroken  and  continuous  masses  of 
forest,  but  are  interspersed  with  open  spaces,  as  was 
the  case  in  the  semi-wooded  prairies  of  Illinois,  when 
the  land  was  first  occupied.  The  appearance  of  the 
country  is  in  certain  localities  park-like,  and  those  who 
have  visited  the  Gran  Chaco  dwell  upon  the  fact  that 
the  forest-masses  often  display  such  regular  lines  as  to 
suggest  that  they  might  have  been  planted  by  the  hand 
of  man,  which,  however,  is  not  the  case. 

Along  the  entire  western  boundary  of  the  republic 
rise  the  lofty  ranges  of  the  Andes,  some  of  the  peaks,  as 
that  of  Aconcagua,  reaching  a  height  far  exceeding  that 


Argentina  r.u 

ot  tlie  highest  Alps  in  luirope  and  hkc  the  latter  covered 
with  snow-fields  and  glaciers.  From  the  main  ranges 
in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  country  there  run  out 
toward  the  southeast  longer  spurs,  and  in  the  western 
and  southwestern  portions  many  shorter  spurs  project 
nearly  at  right  angles  from  the  main  range.  Between 
the  longer  ranges  in  the  northwest  are  high  plateaus  on 
which  but  little  rain  falls.  Between  the  shorter  spurs 
of  the  mountain  masses  in  the  west  and  south  at  the 
headwaters  of  the  rivers,  some  of  which  discharge  into 
the  Atlantic,  others  of  which  in  the  extreme  south  send 
their  streams  into  the  Pacific  through  narrow  gorges 
between  the  great  peaks,  nestle  many  beautiful  lakes, 
filled  with  limpid  water  derived  from  the  melting  snows 
of  the  alpine  summits  which  tower  above  them.  The 
lake-region  of  Argentina  is  a  realm  of  scenic  splendor 
the  beauties  of  which  are  only  beginning  to  be  known. 
Hitherto  this  part  of  the  great  land  has  been  almost 
inaccessible,  but  those  who  have  visited  it  are  eloquent 
in  their  description  of  the  wonderful  magnificence  of  the 
scenery.  In  one  of  the  lakes  of  this  friir>-land  Dr. 
Walter  O.  Davis  a  few  years  ago  planted  between  two 
and  three  millions  of  the  fry  of  the  Speckled  Brook- 
trout  (Salvelinus  fontinalis)  of  New  England.  The 
transportation  of  the  eggs  from  Buenos  Aires  to  Lake 
.\ahuel-Huapi  retiuired  twelve  days  and  the  use  of  six 
tons  of  ice.  The  ice  lasted  just  long  enough  to  enable 
the  Doctor  to  reach  the  lake  with  his  delicate  charge 
uninjured.  Had  the  journey  rccjuired  another  day  in 
which  to  complete  it,  the  venture  would  have  failed : 
but,  as  it  was,  the  eggs  were  brought  to  their  destina- 
tion \\\t\\  little  loss.  Ninety  per  cent  of  them  were 
hatched,  and  on  March  14.  1904.  the  fry  were  put  into 
the  lake.     Five  years  later  to  the  day,  on  March  14. 


132  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

1909,  Dr.  Da\  is  caught  three  specimens,  each  weighing 
five  pounds,  twelve  and  one-half  ounces,  which  he  has 
now  preserved  in  jars  of  alcohol  in  his  office  in  Buenos 
Aires,  where  I  had  the  pleasure  of  examining  them. 
In  a  few  years  the  western  lakes  of  Argentina  will  be 
resorted  to  not  only  by  those  who  are  lovers  of  beauti- 
ful scenery,  but  by  those  also  who  are  fond  disciples 
of  Isaak  Walton. 

Between  the  high  mountain  ranges  and  plateaus  of 
the  west  and  the  wide  eastern  plains  is  a  region  of  vary- 
ing breadth  and  elevation,  which  is  more  or  less  arid, 
save  where  irrigated  by  streams  flowing  from  the  Cordil- 
leras. The  soil  in  this  region  is  in  places  strongly 
impregnated  with  saline  and  alkaline  matter,  and 
there  are  depressions  in  which  brackish  ponds  and 
lakes  have  accumulated,  and  extensive  areas  in  which 
the  alkali  reveals  itself  in  the  form  of  white  incrustations 
such  as  are  common  in  the  "bad-lands"  of  Wyoming 
and  Utah.  The  aridity  of  this  tract  is  due  to  the  fact 
that  the  high  mountains  of  the  west  intercept  the  cur- 
rents of  air  laden  with  moisture  which  come  from  the 
Pacific,  while  at  the  same  time  the  winds  from  the 
Atlantic  are  met  and  checked  in  their  onward  westward 
flow  by  the  downward  currents  of  cold  and  dry  air 
which  flow  eastward  from  the  Andes.  The  southern 
part  of  Chili,  unlike  northern  Chili  which  is  almost 
rainless  and  barren,  is  a  region  where  the  rainfall  is 
heavy  and  where  dense  and  luxuriant  forests  of  hard 
woods  cover  the  land.  But  as  soon  as  the  traveler 
coming  from  the  west  has  crossed  the  lofty  snow-clad 
ranges  and  has  reached  the  eastern  slopes  of  the  Andes 
and  the  plains  at  their  feet,  he  discerns  that  the  forests 
of  beech  and  other  woods  have  disappeared  and  that 
their  place  has  been  taken  by  cacti  and  crassulaceous 


Arq-cntiiKi  133 

plants  characteristic  of  dry  soil.  There  arc  only  a  few 
localities,  ami  these  well  toward  the  south,  where  the 
mountain  wall  is  low  enough  to  idlow  the  rain-clouds 
to  pass  over,  or  where  the  chain  is  interrupted  by  valleys 
coming  down  to  sea-level,  forming  gateways  for  the 
showers.  Opposite  these  inlets  on  the  eastern  side  of 
the  Andes  are  limited  tracts  where  rain  falls  in  sufhcient 
abundance  to  permit  the  growth  of  trees  and  rich  pas- 
turage. Such  spots  are,  however,  infrequent.  Almost 
the  whole  of  northern  and  central  Patagonia  is  dry,  and 
receives  so  little  moisture  that  except  in  a  few  favored 
places  there  is  no  temptation  offered  to  the  agriculturist 
to  settle.  On  the  eastern  coast  in  the  Territories  of 
Chubut  and  Santa  Cruz,  there  are  colonies  of  Boers  from 
South  Africa  and  of  Welsh  and  Scotch,  who  are  earning 
a  somewhat  precarious  livelihood  as  sheep-ranchers, 
and  about  Punta  Arenas  there  are  extensive  sheep 
ranges,  but  otherwise  Patagonia  is  a  land  of  desolation, 
which  will  require  a  great  deal  of  effort  to  make  it 
productive.  "  Dry-farming, "  as  practised  in  our  West- 
em  States,  may  succeed  to  a  limited  extent ;  but  the 
higher  levels  must  always  remain  more  or  less  barren  for 
lack  of  water,  though  the  lower  levels  are  capable  of 
l>eing  irrigated  by  the  rivers  which  traverse  them. 
Irrigation  has  been  practised  for  a  long  time  in  some  of 
the  older  settlements.  This  is  especially  true  about 
Mendoza,  where  there  are  great  vineyards  and  orchards. 
At  Mendoza  the  water  flowing  from  the  mountains  is 
distributed  by  an  extensive  system  of  canals  and  ditches 
over  the  lower  hillsides  and  levels,  an4  the  ground, 
which  once  produced  little  but  cacti,  has  Ix^en  made  to 
yield  rich  returns.  The  population  of  the  country  is 
not  at  present  so  dense  as  to  make  the  reclamation  of 
the  arid  lands  a  question  of  burning  imjxjrtance,  except 


134  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

here  and  ihere;  nevertheless  the  far-seeing  men  at  the 
head  of  the  government  are  already  beginning  to  give 
the  matter  careful  consideration.  With  an  area  equal 
to  that  of  half  the  United  States,  Alaska  excepted, 
there  are  in  Argentina  only  about  seven  and  a  half 
millions  of  inhabitants,  less  than  the  population  of 
Pennsylvania.  There  is  still  "elbow-room"  for  multi- 
tudes of  people.  Exclusive  of  the  great  Province  of 
Buenos  Aires,  the  country  as  a  whole  is  still  sparsely  set- 
tled, and  even  in  Buenos  Aires  there  are  wide  stretches 
of  land  which  are  very  thinly  inhabited.  To  develop 
the  country  and  attract  population  is  one  of  the  aims 
of  the  government.  It  was  my  pleasant  privilege  a  few 
days  after  my  arrival  to  receive  an  invitation  from 
Dr.  Bailey  Willis  to  dine  with  him  and  to  meet  a  number 
of  his  friends.  Dr.  Willis  has  been  selected  by  the 
authorities  of  Argentina  to  conduct  the  survey  of  the 
region  about  Lake  Nahuel-Huapi  and  to  aid  in  opening 
it  to  settlers.  The  dinner  took  place  at  Charpentier's, 
a  famous  resort,  which  is  the  Argentinian  equivalent  of 
Sherry's  in  New  York.  Among  those  who  were  present 
at  the  dinner  were  Sefior  Ramos  Mejia,  the  ^Minister  of 
Public  Works  {obras  piiblicas),  Hon.  John  W.  Garrett, 
the  Minister  Plenipotentiary  of  the  United  States, 
Dr.  Francisco  P.  Moreno,  of  whom  I  have  spoken  in  a 
previous  chapter,  Dr.  Walter  G.  Davis,  who  for  nearly 
two-score  years  has  been  at  the  head  of  the  Oficina 
Meteorologica,  Dr.  Rollin  D.  Salisbury,  the  Dean  of  the 
Faculty  of  Science  in  the  University  of  Chicago,  and  a 
number  of  other  gentlemen  of  eminence  representing 
both  Argentina  and  the  United  States.  The  room  was 
decorated  with  the  entwining  flags  of  the  United  States 
and  of  Argentina,  and  around  the  walls  were  large 
photographs  showing  Lake  Nahucl-Huapi  guarded  by 


Argentina  135 

mountains  rivaling  those  of  Switzerland  in  their massi\e 
uplift  and  beauty.  Much  of  the  time  at  this  dinner 
was  taken  up  in  discussing  the  wonders  of  this  region. 
The  Minister  of  Public  Works  explained  that  the  new 
railroad  running  from  Port  Antonio  westward  to  the 
lake  has  already  been  completed  for  more  than  half  of 
its  length,  and  turning  to  Dr.  Willis  he  said:  "The 
remainder  of  the  road  I  look  to  you,  my  dear  Doctor, 
to  see  completed  by  the  spring  of  1914.  The  money  to 
build  the  remaining  miles  is  in  the  treasury."  When 
this  railway  is  completed  it  will  open  up  a  region  as  large 
as  the  State  of  Massachusetts ;  a  country  full  of  streams 
fed  from  the  snow-clad  mountains,  having  numerous 
waterfalls  capable  of  driving  as  many  spindles  as  are 
now  driven  by  the  Connecticut  and  the  Merrimac. 
Into  this  region,  Senor  Mejia  explained,  it  is  the  desire 
of  the  government  to  bring  hardy  and  thrifty  people 
capable  of  enduring  the  cold  of  winter.  These  peojjle 
will  become  the  pioneers  in  the  development  of  a  great 
state  from  the  standpoint  of  the  agriculturist  and  the 
manufacturer.  "Those  whom  we  wish  to  interest," 
said  Dr.  Mejia,  "are  your  thrifty  Yankees  of  New 
England  and  the  industrious  and  hardy  people  of 
Sweden,  Norway,  and  Switzerland.  For  such  people 
we  shall  be  able  to  hold  out  the  inducement  of  farms 
at  comparatively  small  cost,  and  opportunities  for  en- 
gaging in  a  multitude  of  industrial  pursuits,  for  which 
unlimited  electrical  jx)wer  derived  from  the  waterfalls 
will  o^xin  the  way." 

The  republic  of  Argentina  is  advancing  by  leaps  and 
bounds.  Statements  published  as  to  population,  re- 
sources, railroad  mileage,  and  the  production  of  various 
crops  made  only  a  year  or  two  ago,  are  anti(iuated  to- 
day.    The  people  have  tacitly  concluded  that  revolu- 


136         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

tions  are  not  profitable.  In  the  last  century  they  were 
plagued  with  revolutions  and  counter-revolutions. 
To-day  they  have  settled  down  to  the  conviction  that 
an  orderly  government,  well  administered,  affords  the 
best  opportunity  for  development.  The  spirit  of  com- 
mercialism and  industrialism  reigns  supreme.  The 
Argentino  has  ceased  to  be  a  politician  in  the  sense  in 
which  he  was  a  politician  a  few  years  ago,  and  has  be- 
come, like  the  people  of  our  own  country,  keen  in  the 
pursuit  of  the  dollar.  After  all  it  is  better  that  men 
should  chase  dollars  than  that  they  should  chase  each 
other  with  swords  and  bayonets. 

In  the  development  which  has  taken  place  in  Argen- 
tina during  the  past  three  centuries  the  foremost  part 
has  been  played  by  the  Province  of  Buenos  Aires.  The 
first  Europeans  to  sight  the  land  were  a  party  of  Spanish 
explorers,  who  had  set  out  under  the  leadership  of  Juan 
Diaz  de  Solis  to  find  a  southwest  passage  to  the  East 
Indies.  Arriving  in  15 16,  they  landed,  were  attacked 
by  the  Indians,  and  their  leader  was  killed.  Disheart- 
ened they  returned  to  Europe.  De  Solis  was  followed 
four  years  later  by  the  illustrious  Ferdinand  Magellan, 
who  on  his  voyage  around  the  world  entered  the  estuary 
and  sailed  for  some  distance  up  the  River  Plate,  then 
turned,  and  went  south  without  attempting  to  effect 
a  landing.  In  1527  Sebastian  Cabot  explored  the  rivers 
Parana,  Paraguay,  and  Uruguay  for  considerable  dis- 
tances, building  a  fort  near  the  mouth  of  the  Uruguay 
River  and  attempting  a  settlement  not  far  from  the 
present  city  of  Santa  Fe.  Nothing  came  of  these  efforts 
except  an  increased  knowledge  of  the  geography  of  the 
region.  Cabot  was  followed  in  1535  by  Pedro  de 
Mendoza,  a  Basque  of  noble  lineage,  who  had  received 
from  the.  Emperor  Charles  V.  a  grant  of  all  of  what  is 


Arj^cnlin.'i  137 

now  the  most  fertile  and  densely  populated  portion  of 
Argentina,  upon  condition  that  he  would  concjuer  the 
country  at  his  own  expense  and  thereafter  pay  certain 
profits  to  the  crown.  He  entered  the  river  and  sailed 
cdong  the  northern  shore  as  far  as  the  island  of  San 
Gabriel,  and  then  crossed  to  the  south  shore,  landing  at 
the  mouth  of  a  small  stream  still  known  as  the  Riachuelo 
or  "  rivulet. "  He  gave  to  the  spot  the  name  of  Buenos 
Aires.  The  attempt  to  make  a  settlement  proved  a 
disastrous  failure  in  the  end,  because  of  the  hostility  of 
the  Indians.  A  permanent  settlement  in  the  region  was, 
however,  effected  in  the  following  year  (1536)  by  a 
remnant  of  Mendoza's  followers,  who  established  them- 
selves on  the  site  of  what  is  now  the  city  of  Asuncion, 
the  capital  of  Paraguay.  An  attempt  to  renew  the 
settlement  at  Buenos  Aires,  made  in  1542,  failed,  and  it 
was  not  until  1580  that  Juan  de  Garay,  a  Basque,  com- 
ing dowTi  the  river  from  Asuncion,  succeeded  in  taking 
the  spot  after  a  bloody  conflict  with  the  Querendi 
Indians,  whom  he  conquered  and  forced  to  serve  as 
laborers  upon  the  farms  which  he  allotted  to  his  victori- 
ous followers.  Four  years  afterwards  De  Garay  was 
killed  near  Santa  Fe  by  the  Indians,  who  fell  upon  him 
at  night  while  he  was  in  camp  on  his  way  back  to 
Asuncion. 

During  the  thirty-eight  years  which  had  passed 
between  the  first  attempt  to  settle  Buenos  Aires  and  the 
successful  occupation  of  the  spot  by  Juan  de  Garay, 
a  wave  of  Spanish  colonization  had  swept  into  what  is 
now  Argentina  from  the  west.  The  couQuest  of  Peru 
by  Pizarro  and  the  Spanish  occupation  of  northern  Chili 
was  quickly  followed  by  a  movement  from  the  Pacific 
across  the  Andes.  Expeditions  from  Peru  established 
settlements  at  Santiago  del  Estero  in  1555,  at  Tucum4n 


138         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

in  1565,  and  at  Cordoba  in  1573.  An  expedition  from 
Chili  in  1559  established  a  settlement  at  Mendoza,  the 
name  being  given  in  honor  of  the  leader,  who  must  not 
be  confounded  with  Pedro  de  Mendoza  who  had  so 
signally  failed  in  colonizing  the  region  about  Buenos 
Aires. 

The  occupation  of  South  America  by  the  Spanish 
was  effected  by  expeditions  which  in  going  out  from 
Spain  very  naturally  followed  the  routes  originally 
pursued  by  Columbus  and  his  successors.  Nombre-de- 
Dios  on  the  northern  shore  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama 
became  the  rendezvous  of  the  Spanish  fleets,  and  all 
commerce  between  Spain  and  Peru  took  place  through 
that  port.  The  region  now  known  as  Argentina  was  in 
the  early  days  subject  to  the  control  of  the  Governor- 
General  of  Peru.  Spanish  commerce  with  South 
America  was  in  the  hands  of  a  clique  of  wealthy  mer- 
chants in  the  city  of  Cadiz,  who  by  reason  of  their  ability 
to  influence  the  court  had  secured  for  themselves  a 
monopoly  of  the  carrying  trade.  They  succeeded  in 
effecting  the  passage  of  laws  prohibiting  all  importation 
and  exportation  of  goods  directly  by  sea  from  the  region 
of  the  River  Plate  and  compelled  all  intercourse  with 
the  valley  of  the  Plate  to  follow  the  route  by  Panama 
along  the  west  coast  and  across  the  Andes.  They  even 
went  so  far  as  to  cause  regulations  to  be  passed  making 
it  an  offense  punishable  by  death  to  ship  in  or  out  of  the 
River  Plate  by  direct  ocean  routes  any  goods  whatever. 
Human  governments  have  often  been  induced  for  self- 
ish ends  to  violate  the  laws  of  nature.  It  may  well, 
however,  be  called  into  question  whether  any  more 
atrocious  perversion  of  fundamental  economical  prin- 
ciples was  ever  enacted  than  in  this  case,  where  a  com- 
munity,   with    nothing    between    it    and    the    mother 


Ari;ciuin.i  lyj 

country  except  the  broad  highway  of  the  seas,  was 
compelled  by  law  to  transport  its  exports  and  imports 
across  a  continent,  over  a  range  of  mountains  from 
twelve  to  fifteen  thousand  feet  high,  for  thousands  of 
miles  up  the  western  coast,  across  the  isthmus,  and 
thence  to  Cadiz  by  a  sea-route  as  long,  if  not  longir, 
than  that  which  lay  between  their  ports  and  the  home 
country.  The  little  settlements  on  the  River  Plate  by 
force  of  circumstances  were  compelled  to  become  colo- 
nies of  smugglers,  and  even  the  olTicials  sent  out  from 
Spain  to  enforce  the  iniquitous  regulations  enacted  at 
the  suggestion  of  "the  gang"  in  Cadiz,  themselves 
became  smugglers.  In  course  of  time  the  English  and 
Dutch  sea-rovers  made  sport  of  the  sea-})Ower  of  Spain, 
and  English,  Dutch,  and  French  captains  began  to 
trade,  in  spite  of  Spanish  prohibitions,  with  the  colonies 
on  the  River  Plate.  Although  the  merchants  of  Cadiz 
protested,  and  threatened  dire  vengeance,  sometimes 
even  executed  it,  the  shipmasters  of  the  world  began 
to  find  out  that  hides  could  be  bought  cheaply  at 
Buenos  Aires  and  that  there  was  a  ready  market  there 
for  European  goods.  For  nearly  two  hundred  years 
the  commerce  originating  on  the  great  internal  water- 
ways which  lead  to  and  from  what  are  now  the  republics 
of  Bolivia,  Paraguay,  Argentina,  and  Uruguay  was 
subjected  to  restrictions  by  the  Spanish  government 
which  simply  apjxjar  amazing  in  the  light  of  modern 
progress,  and  even  trade  with  Peru  was  after  a  while 
only  allowed  to  be  carried  on  subject  to  a  duty  of  fifty 
per  cent,  ad  valorem  upon  all  goods  either  exix)rted 
or  imjiorted.  The  Portuguese,  who  established  them- 
selves directly  opposite  Buenos  Aires,  at  Colonia,  carried 
on  a  very  profitable  contraband  traffic.  The  people  of 
Buenos  Aires  after  a  time  became  accustomed  to  buying 


HO  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

and  selling  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  in  spite  of 
governmental  interdicts.  The  exactions  of  the  Spanish 
rulers  continued  even  after  Buenos  Aires  had  been  in  the 
year  1776  made  the  seat  of  a  viceroyalty.  Under  such 
circumstances  it  is  no  wonder  that  there  finally  grew 
up  throughout  all  the  region  a  spirit  of  determined 
opposition  to  Spanish  control.  If  the  people  living  in 
the  English  colonies  of  North  America  resisted  taxation 
without  representation,  and  found  the  Stamp-act  intol- 
erable, it  is  no  wonder  that  the  Spanish  colonists  in 
South  America,  having  patiently  endured  for  over  two 
hundred  years  a  system  of  exaction  and  repression,  the 
most  astounding  in  the  annals  of  government,  should 
have  finally  resolved  to  revolt.  Following  the  example 
of  the  Thirteen  Colonies  in  North  America,  and  strongly 
imbued  with  the  doctrines  announced  by  the  leaders  of 
the  French  Revolution,  near  the  beginning  of  the  last 
century  they  threw  off  the  yoke  of  Spain.  The  story 
of  that  revolution  is  too  long  to  be  told  here. 

Trained  in  the  school  of  despotism,  it  is  not  singular 
that  the  people  of  these  southern  republics  should  have 
encountered  great  difficulties  in  establishing  govern- 
ments strictly  republican  in  their  nature.  Though 
republican  in  name,  most  of  the  governments  of  Central 
and  South  America  have  been  more  or  less  oligarchical 
in  their  practical  working.  The  nearest  approach  to 
true  republicanism  exists  to-day  in  Argentina,  where 
with  great  wisdom  popular  education  has  been  made 
compulsory,  and  where  the  youth  of  the  nation  are 
being  taught  in  the  common-schools  those  things  which 
are  fundamentally  true  in  the  life  of  a  democracy. 

It  was  the  good  fortune  of  the  Province  of  Buenos 
Aires  to  have  reckoned  among  her  citizens  such  a  man 
as  San  Martin,  one  of  the  purest-minded  patriots  whom 


Argentina  141 

any  land  has  produced,  and  who  as  tlie  years  go  by 
grows  more  and  more  in  the  esleem  of  men.  Although 
in  his  old  age  he  was  treated  with  gross  ingratitude  and 
suffered  exile  and  penury,  his  noble  example,  like  that 
of  Washington,  has  become  an  inspiration  to  the  people 
of  his  country.  Bolivar  has  been  called  "the  Liber- 
ator," but  the  impartial  student  of  South  American 
history  realizes  that  the  e.\alted  character  of  San  Martin 
e.xceeds  in  rugged  grandeur  that  of  Bolivar  as  the  sun 
outshines  the  moon.  He  it  was  who  freed  the  southern 
half  of  South  America  from  the  yoke  of  Sjxiin.  The 
Argentine  Republic  also  owes  a  great  debt  of  gratitude 
to  a  man  whom  many  now  living  recall  as  a  friend  and 
acquaintance,  Sarmiento,  "the  Schoolmaster  Presi- 
dent," as  he  has  been  called.  He  realized  that  the 
greatness  of  a  people  depends  not  merely  ujion  material 
resources  and  wealth,  but  upon  the  quality  of  its  man- 
hood; and  he  it  was  who  set  about  founding  schools 
for  the  common  people  and  reorganizing  the  colleges  and 
universities  throughout  the  land.  The  work  which  he 
planned  and  began  is  now  just  beginning  to  bear  rich 
fruitage. 

Without  attempting  to  outline  the  long  story  of  the 
evolution  of  existing  governmental  institutions  in 
Argentina,  it  may  be  said  that  underlying  all  the  various 
movements  was  an  impulse  toward  the  establishment  of 
a  national  life  and  consciousness.  There  were  unfor- 
tunate episodes;  many  mistakes  were  made;  unscru|)u- 
lous  and  incompetent  men  at  times  essayed  leadership 
and  grasped  the  reins  of  j)owcr  with  attetjdant  misfor- 
tune to  the  state;  but  through  the  maze  of  conflicting 
policies  and  varying  experiments  there  emerged  clearly 
and  ever  more  clearly  the  purpose  of  a  free  i>cople  to 
secure  for  themselves  the  rights  which  belong  to  men 


142  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

in  virtue  of  their  manhood.  To-day  Argentina  is  on  the 
highroad  of  national  prosperity,  having  nothing  to 
fear  except  the  dangers  which  arise  from  prosperity 
itself.  After  having  read  everything  available,  and 
having  with  my  own  eyes  seen  the  results  of  the  long 
struggles  which  have  taken  place,  and  having  had 
the  opportunity  to  learn  from  those  who  are  to-day  the 
leaders  of  public  thought  and  sentiment,  what  are  the 
aims  and  ambitions  which  they  cherish,  I  cannot  fail 
to  entertain  a  deep  and  sympathetic  interest  in  the 
people  of  this  growing  nation,  who  are  surely  unfolding 
a  character  which  is  destined  to  give  them  a  high  place 
in  the  future  annals  of  civilization. 

The  population  of  the  country  is  exceedingly  com- 
posite. Argentina,  like  the  United  States,  has  become 
a  melting-pot  for  the  nations.  Colonized  originally  by 
Basques,  many  of  the  names  of  the  older  families  recall 
that  fact,  but  all  of  Spain  was  ultimately  represented 
upon  the  soil.  During  the  past  century  there  came  into 
the  land  not  a  few  people  of  English,  Irish,  and  Scotch 
extraction.  The  Germans  are  well  represented  and  so 
are  the  French.  From  Southern  Russia  in  quite  recent 
years,  there  has  taken  place  a  large  influx.  During  the 
past  forty  years  there  has  been  a  very  great  immigration 
of  Italians.  It  is  a  curious  fact  that  owing  to  the 
cheapness  of  steerage-passage  from  Naples  and  Genoa 
there  occurs  every  year  in  Argentina  just  before  the 
planting  time  and  before  harvest,  a  mighty  inflow  of 
Italian  laborers,  who  help  to  sow  and  gamer  the  crops, 
and  then  quietly  take  ship  again  and  return  to  Italy, 
where  they  arrive  in  time  to  render  the  same  service 
in  their  own  country.  Great  groups  of  laboring  men 
make  the  annual  pilgrimage  from  southern  Italy  to 
the  Plate,  and  sell  their  services  for  the  busy  months 


Ar<;entina  143 

of  the  year  in  tlu'  wheat-fields,  and  then  ^o  back  to  their 
homes.  Some,  who  come  with  tlie  expectation  of  re- 
turning, settle  clown  in  the  land,  and  thus  a  very  large 
part  of  the  more  recent  additions  to  the  population  have 
been  Italians.  The  study  of  the  railway  maps  and  of 
the  names  of  stations  and  towns  reveals  in  an  interesting 
manner  how  exceedingly  various  have  been  the  nation- 
alities of  those  who  have  C)ccui)ied  the  soil.  Temperley, 
Claypole,  Nelson,  and  Lincoln  are  towns  with  English 
names.  Rauch  and  Lchmann  are  places  concerning 
which  it  does  not  require  a  linguist  to  decide  that  they 
were  settled  by  Germans.  Names  like  these  are 
sprinkled  all  over  the  ma})  of  the  country,  as  well  as 
names  which  are  purely  Spanish  and  Italian. 

Buenos  Aires,  the  capital,  is  a  cosmopolitan  city. 
The  tendency  of  populations  to  concentrate  in  cities, 
which  is  characteristic  of  modern  times,  is  illustrated 
forcibly  in  the  case  of  this  great  community.  There 
are  about  one  million  and  a  quarter  of  people  in  Bucros 
Aires.  Rosario,  the  next  city  in  size,  has  about  two 
hundred  thousand.  More  than  one-fifth  of  the  popula- 
tion of  Argentina  is  gathered  into  its  cities.  There  are 
thoughtful  men,  with  whom  I  conversed,  who  deprecate 
this  fact,  as  there  are  men  in  our  own  oountr}'  who  dei):e- 
cate  the  tendency  of  the  masses  to  congregate  in  the 
towns.  The  cry  "back  to  the  soil"  is  being  heard  in 
Argentina, as  in  the  United  States.  Many  of  the  wealthy 
citizens  of  the  Argentine  metropolis  are  in  fact  agricul- 
turists and  great  landowners.  Their  presence  on  their 
estates  being  only  required  at  certain  seasops  of  the  year, 
they  have  elected  to  live  in  the  city  and  to  enjoy  the 
conveniences  and  social  intercourse  which  are  afforded 
by  urban  life.  They  may  be  pardoned  for  their  choice, 
but  for  every  millionaire  who  lives  in  the  city  there  are, 


144         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

as  in  our  own  crowded  municipalities,  hundreds  and 
thousands  of  people  who  are  packed  together  in  narrow 
quarters  eking  out  a  miserable  existence  under  circum- 
stances decidedly  unpropitious.  Buenos  Aires,  like 
New  York  and  London,  has  its  slums  and  squalid 
tenement  districts,  many  of  the  inhabitants  of  which 
would  be  far  better  off  if  deported  to  the  pampas  and 
made  to  take  part  in  the  healthful  toil  which  falls  to 
him  who  is  a  tiller  of  the  ground.  It  is  hard,  however, 
to  induce  people  who  have  lived  in  towns  and  cities  in 
Europe,  when  coming  to  America,  to  adopt  the  larger 
and  freer  life  of  the  open  country.  Farmers,  like  poets, 
are  born,  not  made.  To  induce  a  man  who  has  been 
trained  to  be  a  baker  or  small  tradesman  to  become  a 
herder  or  a  plowman  is  as  difficult  as  to  transform 
a  blacksmith  into  a  sculptor,  or  a  lawyer  into  a  glass- 
cutter.  It  can  be  done  now  and  then,  but  only  in 
exceptional  cases.  The  trouble  in  Argentina,  as  in  the 
United  States,  is  that  a  great  deal  of  the  recent  immigra- 
tion has  not  proceeded  from  the  agricultural  regions  of 
Europe.  Argentina,  like  North  America,  needs  more 
farmers  and  fewer  hotel- waiters,  bartenders,  petty  shop- 
keepers, and  people  who  live  by  their  wits,  without 
having  any  trade  in  which  they  excel. 

Though  there  has  been  a  rapid  growth  in  population 
in  Argentina  in  recent  years,  there  is  a  comparative 
dearth  of  labor,  and  wages  are  very  high.  The  pro- 
tective tariff  which  has  been  applied  to  a  number  of  the 
industries  of  the  country  has  also  had  its  effect  in 
raising  the  price  of  labor  and  commodities.  The  cost 
of  living  in  Argentina,  as  in  almost  all  South  American 
countries,  is  great.  The  increase  in  the  value  of  land 
has  been  the  main  factor  underlying  the  princely  for- 
tunes possessed  by  many  Argentinian  families.     A  few 


Anj^cntina  145 

years  ago  the  government  sold  off  at  auction  large 
tracts  of  land  at  little  more  than  the  cost  of  surveying 
it.  The  reserve  price  was  about  $400  per  square  league. 
A  square  league  contains  6669  acres.  Much  of  the  land 
thus  thrown  upon  the  market  was  very  fertile  and 
admirably  adapted  both  to  grazing  and  agricultural 
purposes.  While  the  number  of  human  beings  in  the 
world  is  steadily  increasing,  the  number  of  fertile  acres 
is  stationary'.  The  hungry  millions  of  Europe  were 
calling  for  food;  the  men  of  Argentina  discovered  that 
they  were  in  a  position  to  supply  it.  They  began  to 
grow  wheat  and  com  in  a  large  way.  They  took  to 
improving  their  live  stock  by  importing  the  best  strains 
of  cattle  and  sheep  and  horses  from  Europe  and  North 
America.  They  discovered  that  by  plowing  under  the 
rough  grasses  of  the  pampa  and  sewing  alfalfa  or  lucerne 
they  could  secure  perennial  pasturage  for  their  animals. 
Farming  became  profitable  and  the  value  of  the  land 
gradually  began  to  enhance.  Men  who  had  bought 
great  tracts  for  a  few  cents  an  acre  awoke  to  find  pur- 
chasers who  were  willing  to  pay  anything  from  fifty  to 
one  hundred  dollars  per  acre  for  their  holdings.  Many 
men  who  had  bought  a  square  league  for  $4(X)  hold  it 
to-day  at  $300,000.  Men  who  bought,  as  multitudes 
(lid,  from  ten  to  twenty  square  leagues,  are  multi- 
millionaires at  the  present  moment.  Some  men  ac- 
cjuired  great  bodies  of  land,  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
acres,  for  a  song;  to-day  they  live  in  palaces,  surrounded 
with  luxury.  As  the  result  of  this  sudden  and  enor- 
mous increase  in  wealth  there  has  been^  developed 
in  many  cases  extravagance.  There  arc  not  a  few 
thoughtful  men  in  Argentina  who  shake  their  heads  as 
they  observe  this  tendency,  and  the  comments  they 
made  reminded  me,  as  I  heard  them,  of  what  I  had 


146         To  the  River  Plate  and  l^ack 

heard  falling  from  the  lips  of  careful  students  of  affairs 
in  our  own  land.  It  is  a  wise  man  indeed  who  knows 
rightly  how  to  use  prosperity. 

The  development  of  luxury,  ostentation,  and  reckless 
extravagance  on  the  part  of  the  rich  begets  discontent 
among  the  poor.  The  result  is  reflected  in  en\'y,  strife, 
and  social  disorder.  This  has  been  the  teaching  of  his- 
tory through  all  the  centuries.  The  lands  of  the  West 
need  not  expect  to  be  exempted  from  the  operation  of 
those  forces  which  have  wrought  in  the  human  mind  in 
all  past  ages.  Human  nature  has  not  greatly  changed 
since  the  days  of  Babylon  and  Rome.  The  injunction 
of  the  Apostle  "not  to  trust  in  uncertain  riches"  is  as 
applicable  to  nations  as  to  individuals.  The  secret  of 
true  national  greatness  is  found  not  so  much  in  wealth 
as  in  moral  character. 

"  What  constitutes  a  State? 
Not  high-raised  battlement  or  labotired  mound, 

Thick  wall  or  moated  gate; 
Not  cities  proud  with  spires  and  turrets  crowned; 

Not  bays  and  broad-armed  ports. 
Where,  laughing  at  the  storm,  rich  navies  ride; 

Not  starred  and  spangled  courts. 
Where  low-browed  baseness  wafts  perfume  to  pride. 

No; — Men,  high-minded  Men, 

Men  who  their  duties  know, 
But  know  their  rights,  and,  knowing,  dare  maintain. 

Prevent  the  long-aimed  blow, 
And  crush  the  tyrant  while  they  rend  the  chain; 

These  constitute  a  State."' 

'  Alcaeus,  Paraphrased  by  Sir  William  Jones. 


pa 


CHAPTER    XII 

BUENOS   AIRES 

"Ships,  towers,  domes,  theaters,  and  temples  He, 
Open  unto  the  fields,  ami  to  the  sky. 
All  bright  and  glittering  in  the  smokeless  air." — Wordr»orth. 

SIGXOR  NEGRI,  who  was  bom  in  Elba,  stood  at 
the  entrance  of  the  <^rounds  of  the  Observatory, 
looking  up  at  the  sky,  a  vault  of  brilliant  blue  flecked 
here  and  there  with  white  clouds.  "Pah!"  he  ex- 
claimed, "the  sight  makes  me  sick.  Look,  Monsieur 
le  Docteur,  at  that  sky — blue  and  white — the  national 
colors  of  Argentina — blue  and  white — eternally  that 
blue  and  white  sky!  I  wns  born  where  the  fogs  often 
came  uj)  from  the  sea.  I  adore  fog.  I  am  happiest 
when  it  drizzles.  But  look  at  that  audaciously  blue 
and  white  sky!  The  sight  fills  me  with  bitterness.  It 
will  not  rain  to-day;  it  will  not  rain  to-morrow.  We 
are  in  for  a  long  period  of  dry  weather.  I  shall  have  to 
bury  mystMf  indoors  to  escape  the  depressing  effects 
of  that  blue  sky!"  "But,"  I  protested,  "the  sky 
appears  beautiful  to  me.  I  do  not  nisli  it  to  rain  to- 
day; I  am  going  to  Buenos  Aires  to  see  the  Cattle 
Show,  and  the  Botanical  and  Zoological  Gardens. " 
"Ah!  Monsieur  le  Docteur,  there  is  no  accounting  for 
tastes.  You  think  that  shamelessly  blue  sky  beautiful? 
I  do  not!"  We  got  into  the  fiacre,  for  which  we  had 
telephoned  and  which  was  awaiting  us.     The  cochero 

M7 


148        To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

set  us  down  in  a  few  minutes  at  tlie  railway  station.  It 
was  a  holiday.  The  workshops  of  the  Museum  were 
closed,  and  the  men  who  were  helping  us  had  leave  of 
absence.  We  had  determined  that  it  would  be  well  to 
embrace  the  opportunity  to  see  something  of  the 
Capital.  We  had  reached  La  Plata  in  the  dusk  of 
evening.  Now  we  would  for  the  first  time  see  the 
country  between  the  two  cities  in  the  light  of  a 
glorious  spring  morning.  One  of  the  professors  of  the 
University  met  us  at  the  station  and  kindly  acted  as 
guide,  philosopher,  and  friend. 

Shortly  after  leaving  La  Plata  our  attention  was 
called  to  the  fact  that  the  road  for  a  distance  of  nine 
miles  traverses  one  of  the  great  estates  belonging 
to  a  wealthy  family,  the  country  residence  of  which, 
surrounded  by  a  park  and  beautiful  gardens,  we  passed 
shortly  afterwards.  Presently  we  were  delighted  to 
see  on  the  right  of  the  train  scattered  groups  of  Amer- 
ican ostriches  ranging  in  the  fields.  Some  of  them  stood 
and  looked  at  the  cars,  as  they  went  by,  others  appeared 
to  be  more  intent  upon  feeding  and  did  not  raise  their 
heads.  The  Professor  told  us  that  these  birds  are 
preserved  upon  the  estate,  and  that  its  owner  is  one  of 
a  number  of  gentlemen  who  are  making  an  effort  to 
save  the  species  from  extinction.  The  South  American 
ostrich,  as  it  is  called,  is  more  properly  known  as  the 
rhea  {Rhea  Americana  (Linnaeus)  ).  It  is  not  a  true 
ostrich,  and  is  a  much  smaller  bird  than  that  of  Africa. 
Its  plumes  have  been  extensively  used  for  making 
feather-dusters,  their  principal  use.  But  the  supply 
will  soon  be  exhausted,  unless  the  poor  creatures  receive 
better  protection  than  is  now  given  them.  On  the 
Pereyra  estate  there  are  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
specimens;  on   various  other  estates  in   the  different 


Buenos  Aires  149 

provinces  there  are  a  few;  but,  althoujjli  there  onec 
were  niilHons  of  them  in  the  country,  there  are  at  most 
only  a  few  thousands  left.  They  are  >,K)ing  the  way  of 
all  wild  creatures  in  the  New  World,  and  will  soon 
become  extinct,  unless  measures  are  taken  to  stay  the 
hands  of  their  i)ersecutors.  The  smaller  si)ecies  named 
after  Darwin  {Rhea  danc-ini  Gould)  is  still  not  un- 
common uj)on  the  Pala^jonian  pampas,  but  they  also 
are  rapidly  decreasing  in  numbers  with  each  succeeding 
year.  To  the  left  of  the  train  we  saw  a  large  herd  of 
English  deer  feeding  in  an  open  space  between  two 
groves  of  eucalyptus-trees.  In  the  grass  a  little  farther 
on  we  noticed  some  Belgian  hares.  They  have  been 
introduced  into  the  country  and  are  multiplying  rajMdly, 
and  are  reiKjrted  to  be  doing  considerable  damage  to 
the  crops  in  certain  localities.  As  the  train  swept  by 
the  hamlet  of  Concliitas  we  spied  two  llamas  feeding 
in  an  enclosure:  one  was  dark  brown  in  color,  the  other 
was  white.  The  llama  is  not  a  creature  of  the  pampas, 
but  of  the  Andean  region,  and,  like  the  camel,  is  only 
known  in  a  state  of  domestication.  The  guanaco,  a 
much  smaller  animal,  which  is  closely  related  to  the 
llama,  still  exists  in  considerable  numbers  in  a  wild 
state  upon  the  less  frequented  pampas  of  Patagonia 
and  among  the  foothills  of  the  great  mountains  in  the 
northern  part  of  Argentina.  As  we  came  near  the  city 
we  caught  glimpses  of  the  great  river  %nth  its  sky-line 
like  that  of  the  ocean.  In  the  ofifing  there  were  many 
sailing-ships  and  steamers.  The  number  of  full- 
rigged  ships  in  these  waters  proves  that  steamers  have 
not  yet  entirely  monopolized  the  carrying-trade  of  the 
world. 

On  arriving  in  Ruenos  Aires  my  first  errand  was  to  the 
American  Legation,  to  pay  my  respects  to  my  honored 


I50        To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

friend,  Air.  John  W.  Garrett,  the  Minister  Plenipoten- 
tiary of  the  United  States.  I  shall  never  forget  his 
hearty  words  of  welcome.  "  I  love  this  old  Diplodocus,  " 
he  said.  "It  brought  us  together  in  Berlin,  and  then  in 
Rome,  and  now  brings  us  together  again  in  far-off 
Argentina. "  Sitting  in  his  pleasant  office,  about  which 
hung  pictures  of  many  of  the  great  men  of  our  land,  I 
felt  as  if  the  seven  thousand  miles  which  separated  me 
from  home  had  been  for  the  moment  annihilated.  I 
should  be  recusant  to  the  promptings  of  my  heart  if  I 
failed  to  here  record  my  sense  of  indebtedness  to  Mr. 
Garrett  and  his  charming  wife  for  the  gracious  hos- 
pitality which  they  showed  me  during  my  stay  in  the 
country.  The  American  Legation  faces  the  Plaza  San 
Martin.  Nearby  the  Plaza  Hotel  raises  its  front. 
There  are  many  hotels  in  the  capital,  but  the  Plaza  is 
reputed  at  present  to  be  the  most  modern  and  the  most 
luxurious  in  its  appointments,  a  house  worthy  to  be 
compared  with  the  best  in  any  city  of  the  world. 

On  the  outward  voyage  I  had  been  told  that  I  might 
count  myself  fortunate  in  view  of  the  fact  that  I  should 
have  an  opportunity  to  see  the  great  annual  Cattle 
Show  in  Buenos  Aires.  I  heard  a  great  deal  from  certain 
of  my  fellow-passengers,  whose  homes  are  in  Argentina, 
about  the  marvelous  progress  which  has  been  made 
during  the  last  forty  years  in  raising  blooded  stock  upon 
the  pampas,  and,  as  but  one  or  two  days  remained  in 
which  to  visit  the  exposition,  I  went  to  the  grounds, 
which  are  located  in  the  beautiful  suburban  district 
known  as  Palermo.  The  display  takes  place  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Sociedad  Rural  Argentina,  which  many 
years  ago  purchased  the  site  and  has  erected  upon  it 
the  extensive  series  of  buildings  which  now  adorn  it. 
After  passing  through  the  m.ain  entrance  leading  from 


Buenos  Aires  151 

the  Avenida  Sarmientu,  we  found  ourselves  in  a  large 
enclosure,  tastefully  laid  out  with  broad  walks  and 
driveways.  In  the  spaces  between  these  were  ixirterres 
of  flowers  and  blooming  shrubs.  A  large  restaurant 
stands  at  the  left  of  the  entrance.  In  front  of  it  there 
is  a  band-stand  occujMcd  every  afterncx)n  by  musicians. 
The  restaurant  is  surrounded  by  a  broad  tiled  pavement 
raised  above  the  level  of  the  grounds  and  enclosed  by  a 
balustrade.  Here  refreshments  are  served  in  the  open 
air  for  those  who  prefer  the  sky  as  a  canopy  and  at  the 
same  time  desire  to  listen  to  the  music.  Located  in 
the  extensive  enclosure  are  many  [pavilions  for  the 
display  of  the  animals  which  are  here  brought  together. 
Facing  the  main  entrance  is  the  race-track,  on  either 
side  of  which  are  two  very  large  buildings  with  two 
hundred  and  twenty-four  bo.\-stalls  for  horses.  On  the 
northern  or  shady  side  of  the  race-track  are  the  stands 
Uribiinas)  for  the  i)ublic,  on  the  southern  side  the  stands 
reserved  for  the  members  of  the  Societyand  their  friends. 
There  is  in  the  northern  part  of  the  grounds  another 
large  building  for  horses,  containing  one  hundred  and 
sixteen  box-stalls.  Three  hundred  and  forty  horses 
can  be  stabled  upon  the  grounds.  The  largest  pavilions 
are  those  for  cattle.  There  are  four  of  these  in  all,  with 
accommodation  f<jr  nearly  a  thousand  head.  There  is 
a  pavilion  of  great  size  for  the  display  of  sheep,  another 
for  swine,  another  for  poultry.  Toward  the  south  is  a 
large  space  for  the  exi)osition  of  agricultural  machiner>': 
and  at  the  extreme  southern  end  of  the  grounds  is  the 
Agricultural  Museum.  There  are  hams  and  granaries 
for  the  storage  of  foixl-supplies,  a  veterinarj'  hospital, 
quarters  for  the  offidals  and  the  retinue  of  attendants, 
and  kiosks  in  which  dist)lay  is  made  of  cereals,  vege- 
tables,   fruits,  hair,  wool,  hides,  tallow,   fats,  oils,  ex- 


152        To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

tracts,  preserved  meats,  dairy  products,  everj'^thing 
in  fact  whicli  is  the  product  of  the  industries  represented 
by  the  farmer  and  the  stockman. 

We  first  went  to  the  Central  Pavilion,  in  which  some 
of  the  bulls  were  on  exhibition.  There  were  about  two 
hundred  of  them  here,  representing  the  Shorthorn, 
Hereford,  Holstein,  Jersey,  and  Aberdeen- Angus  breeds. 
The  animals  were  all  of  registered  pedigree,  and  among 
them  were  some  superb  specimens.  In  addition  to  the 
animals  in  the  Central  Pavilion  there  were  in  the  va- 
rious pavilions  for  the  cattle  miany  hundreds  m.ore,  bring- 
ing the  total  up  to  over  nine  hundred  bulls  and  cows. 
As  they  lay  at  ease  upon  their  beds  of  clean  straw, 
chewing  the  cud,  or  following  with  their  lustrous  eyes 
the  crowds  of  those  who  came  and  went,  we  were 
impressed  by  the  fact  that  we  were  indeed  in  the  pres- 
ence of  bovine  aristocracy.  Some  of  the  beasts  were 
truly  enormous  in  size,  and  all  were  well  groomed  and 
sleek.  I  doubt  whether  anywhere  in  the  world  at  the 
present  time  a  more  impressive  exhibition  of  this  sort 
is  to  be  seen.  The  pavilions  are  open  on  all  sides, 
admitting  a  free  circulation  of  air,  the  roofs  are  high, 
and  there  is  good  light.  The  names  of  the  animals 
were  all  displayed  upon  neat  labels,  some  of  which  also 
gave  an  account  of  the  pedigree  of  the  individual. 
The  vast  majority  of  the  names  of  the  Shorthorns  were 
English  and  attested  their  British  ancestry.  "Fire- 
King,"  "Baron  Oxford,"  "Iron  Duke,"  "Druid," 
"Waterloo  Victor,"  "Shenley,"  "Cameronian,"  "Lucky 
Jim,"  "Sunny  Jim,"  "Polar  Beauty,"  "Lincoln,"  and 
"Roosevelt"  were  names  which  caught  the  eye. 
"Queen  Victoria,"  "Lady  Alice,"  "Diana,"  "Red 
Rose,"  and  "Blossom"  were  queenly  animals.  It 
was  amusing  to  listen  to  the  pronunciation  given  to 


A  Herd  of  Blooded  Cattle  on  the  Pampas. 


The  Meat  of  the  Country. 


Buenos  Aires  153 

these  names  by  the  attendants  who  spoke  ^Spanish  or 
ItaHan. 

We  next  ins|X?ctcd  the  stables.  Sk)me  fine  horses 
were  on  view.  Arabian,  Clydesdale,  Percheron,  Shire, 
Suffolk-Punch,  Boulonnais,  Anglo-Norman,  and  Hack- 
ney stock  were  represented.  But  I  hardly  found  the 
display  of  horses  as  interesting  as  that  of  the  cattle. 
There  were  only  two  hundred  and  eighty-eight  horses 
and  one  ass  on  exhibition ;  before  the  nine  hundred  bulls 
and  cows,  the  equine  cohorts  seemed  small.  Further- 
more, the  box-stalls  surrounded  by  gratings,  through 
which  it  was  necessary  to  peer,  and  the  rather  dim  light 
of  the  pavilions  did  not  allow  the  horses  to  be  seen 
to  the  same  advantage  as  the  cattle,  which  were  dis- 
played in  open  stalls  under  a  better  light. 

The  sheep  were  interesting.  The  animals  exhibited 
belonged  mainly  to  the  various  well-known  English 
breeds,  and  they  all  seemed  to  be  in  remarkably  good 
condition.  To  allow  them  to  carry  the  fleeces  they 
bore  in  a  subtropical  climate  almost  appeared  cruel, 
but  they  apparently  gave  no  evidence  of  suffering, 
though  the  place  at  the  noon-hour  was  hot.  We 
glanced  at  the  exhibit  of  poultry,  which  was  good,  and 
then  went  to  the  Agricultural  Museum.  It  is  well 
arranged,  the  exhibits  are  carefully  labelled,  and  the 
display  is  upon  the  whole  instructive,  enabling  the 
student  at  a  glance  to  gain  a  good  idea  of  the  agricul- 
tural resources  of  Argentina  as  a  whole  and  of  the  sejia- 
rate  provinces  in  particular.  Whoever  is  in  charge  of 
the  institution  has  correct  ideas  as  to  administration 
and  the  manner  in  which  to  convey  instruction  to  the 
people. 

The  early  settlers  of  South  American  lands  brought 
with  them  cattle  and  horses  of  the  races  which  at  that 


154         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

lime  were  common  in  Spain  and  Portugal.  Some  of 
them  escaped,  and  finding  upon  the  pampas  sufficient 
pasturage,  rapidly  multipHed,  until  wild  cattle  and 
horses  became  numerous  in  Uruguay  and  in  the  prov- 
inces south  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata.  The  Indians 
learned  to  utilize  the  cattle  and  became  horsemen,  as  did 
the  aborigines  of  the  Western  plains  of  North  America. 
The  cattle  were  long-horned,  shaggy,  and  of  medium 
size,  closely  resembling  the  semi-domesticated  cattle 
of  Texas.  The  horses  were  stocky  creatures  like  the 
bronchos  of  our  own  Western  States.  As  the  countr}- 
began  to  be  more  thickly  settled  and  divided  into  estates, 
the  range-cattle  were  brought  within  enclosures,  and 
the  herds  came  to  be  recognized  as  belonging  to  certain 
owners.  They  were  branded  or  marked.  For  a  long 
time  hides,  hair,  tallow,  hoofs,  and  horns  were  the 
principal  exports,  though  "jerked  beef"  salted  and 
dried  in  the  open  air  was  shipped  in  considerable 
quantities  to  the  lands  to  the  north  nearer  the  equator. 
Meat  thus  prepared  is  still  exported,  and  in  Bahia  and 
Rio  de  Janeiro  I  saw  slabs  of  salted  beef  half  an  inch 
thick,  a  foot  wide,  and  from  two  to  three  feet  long, 
hanging  at  the  doors  of  the  grocery  shops  alongside 
of  dried  codfishes  and  bunches  of  smoked  herrings.  It 
did  not  look  appetizing  to  me,  but  it  is  extensively  used 
by  the  poorer  classes  in  Brazil,  and,  when  cut  up  and 
boiled  with  vegetables,  may  serve  to  add  some  nutri- 
ment and  flavor  to  the  mess.  In  the  year  1889  the 
exportation  of  live  cattle  to  England  was  begun,  but 
the  animals  were  so  poor  in  quality  that  the  experiment 
was  not  profitable.  This  led  to  the  importation  of 
blooded  stock,  and  to-day  throughout  the  older  and 
more  thickly  settled  provinces  the  long-horned  Spanish 
cattle  have  almost  entirely  disapj^eared.     The  owners 


Buenos  Aires  155 

of  great  estates  spent  fabulous  sums  in  acquiring  breed- 
ing animals  of  the  best  strain.  As  much  as  $35,000 
was  paid  for  single  bulls.  Three-quarter  bred  cattle 
mainly  uf  the  Hereford  and  Shorlliorn  tyi>e  are  found 
everywhere,  and  on  .some  estates  the  herds  are  pure- 
bred Shortlioms.  Owing  to  the  foot-and-mouth  disease 
the  shipment  of  live  cattle,  which  rose  to  great  i)roiKjr- 
tions  about  the  middle  of  the  first  decade  of  this  cenlury, 
has  latterly  fallen  ofT.  The  sliipment  of  frozen  meats 
has,  however,  steadily  increased,  and  a  large  amount  of 
British  and  .\orth  American  capital  is  being  invested 
in  this  business.  One  of  the  reasons  for  the  jirosperity 
of  the  stock-raisers  of  Argentina  has  been  the  intro- 
duction of  alfalfa.  The  pampas  have  been  jjlowed 
over  and  seeded  with  this  useful  forage  plant;  the 
rough  harsh  grasses  have  disap|)eared  from  wide  areas; 
and  through  the  entire  year  the  i)erennial  alfalfa, 
which  sends  its  roots  deep  down  in  quest  of  water, 
continues  to  suj^ply  an  unfailing  yield  of  rich,  nutritious 
food.  The  grazing  lands  between  Buenos  Aires  and 
I^'i  Plata  covered  vN-ith  nimierous  herds  of  sleek  cattle 
are  an  impressive  sight. 

After  having  rested  awhile  and  partaken  of  some  light 
refreshments,  we  went  across  the  Avenida  Sarmiento 
CO  the  Botanical  Garden.  It  is  not  ver>'  extensive, 
but  is  well -arranged,  and  the  plants  are  set  out  in  such 
a  way  as  to  illustrate  to  some  extent  the  sequence  of 
the  natural  orders  and  their  genera.  It  apparently  is 
designed  to  l)e  a  living  manual  of  Iwtany.  The  flora 
of  Argentina,  so  far  as  represented,  naturally  riveted 
our  attention;  but  there  were  not  as  many  Argentine 
species  as  I  should  like  to  have  found.  Exotic  and 
naturalized  plants  seemed  to  pre|X)nd(Tate.  esiKH-ially 
trees  representing  the  flora  of  Australia.     Over  thirty 


156         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

species  belonging  to  the  genus  Eucalyptus,  or  closely 
related  thereto,  are  growing  upon  the  grounds.  The 
eucalyptus  has  become  the  popular  shade-tree  in 
subtropical  South  America,  and  is  grown  everywhere. 
I  was  informed,  however,  by  Dr.  Roth,  that  it  does  not 
propagate  itself  by  seed  sown  naturally.  In  the  parks 
at  La  Plata  and  upon  the  grounds  of  the  Observatory 
I  searched  in  vain  to  find  young  eucalyptus-trees 
growing  where  seed  had  fallen.  I  am  told  that  special 
precautions  must  be  taken  to  propagate  the  young 
plants,  and  that  wind-sown  seeds  do  not  appear  to 
germinate,  or,  if  they  do,  the  plants  die.  Whether  this 
is  due  to  soil  or  climate,  I  was  unable  to  learn. 

The  Zoological  Garden,  which  is  under  the  care  of 
Dr.  Clemente  Onelli,  is  large  and  attractively  arranged. 
It  appears  to  be  a  favorite  resort  of  the  people,  and  was 
thronged  with  visitors  when  we  reached  it  about  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  It  is  true  the  day  was  a  holi- 
day, but  on  the  occasion  of  a  subsequent  visit  I  found, 
though  it  was  not  a  holiday,  a  great  gathering  of  young 
and  old  people  filling  the  grounds.  The  collection  of  an- 
imals is  extensive  and  they  are  evidently  well  fed.  The 
jaguars  were  particularly  fine.  There  were  a  number  of 
them,  some  of  which  were  very  large  and  powerful  brutes. 
At  one  time  the  jaguars  did  a  great  deal  of  mischief 
among  the  cattle  in  the  northern  provinces  of  Argen- 
tina, but  their  numbers  have  steadily  decreased  in 
recent  years,  and  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Buenos 
Aires  they  have  become  totally  extinct,  and  it  is  only 
when  a  great  freshet  occurs  in  the  river,  and  floating 
islands  of  driftwood  are  brought  down  from  the  tropical 
north,  that  stray  specimens  now  and  then  appear. 
On  the  occasion  of  a  great  flood  in  the  Rio  de  la  Plata 
which  took  place  a  few  years  ago,  I  was  informed  that 


Guanacos  in  the  Zoological  Garden  at  Buenos  Aires. 


'!E!!1H:":!!!' 


The  Dairyman. 


Buenos  Aires  157 

two  jaguars,  which  had  been  brought  down  by  the 
stream,  came  ashore  near  Montevideo  and  were  killed  in 
the  outskirts  of  the  city.  At  the  time  of  these  great 
floods  multitudes  of  snakes  and  other  living  things  are 
brought  down  from  the  tropical  jungles,  and  species 
not  known  to  occur  in  the  vicinity  of  Buenos  Aires  are 
found  at  such  times  in  considerable  numbers  even  in 
the  streets  of  the  city.  Ai  the  time  of  the  last  freshet 
a  couple  of  boa-constrictors  were  discovered  upon  the 
docks. 

We  were  much  interested  in  observing  the  guanacos, 
a  small  herd  of  which  are  kept  within  an  enclosure. 
They  are  survivors  of  the  camel-like  animals,  which 
originated  in  the  region  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  in 
early  Tertiary  times,  and  migrated  to  the  south  after 
the  Isthmus  of  Panama  was  formed,  and  a  land  con- 
nection between  North  and  South  America  had  thus 
been  provided.  The  tribe  died  out  in  North  America, 
but  survived  in  South  America.  The  true  camels  also 
originated  in  North  America  and  passed  over  into  Asia 
by  way  of  the  land-bridge,  which  once  united  the  northern 
portions  of  North  America  with  Asia.  They  survived 
in  the  eastern  after  they  had  become  extinct  in  the 
western  hemisphere.  No  fossil  remains  of  camels  have 
been  found  in  the  Old  World,  except  the  bones  of  the 
existing  species  found  in  the  uppermost  gravels,  but 
in  .North  America  the  remains  of  many  species  of  camels 
and  cameloid  creatures  are  very  abundant.  Only  a 
few  years  ago  one  of  my  associates  in  the  Carnegie 
Museum  discovered  more  than  twenty  skeletons  of  a 
very  small  camel  buried  in  close  proximity  to  each 
other,  and  took  them  up.  The  skeletons  of  three  of 
them,  a  male,  a  female,  and  a  half-grown  individual, 
have  been  mounted  and  arr  <lisplayed  in  the  Carnegie 


i.s8 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Rack 


Museum.  In  certain  respects  they  are  not  unlike 
the  guanaco  of  to-day,  though  very  much  smaller,  not 
larger  than  a  small  Italian  greyhound,  and  revealing 
greater  specialization  in  certain  features  of  anatomical 
structure  than  occurs  in  existing  species.  The  guanaco 
has  not  been  domesticated  as  was  its  larger  cousin,  the 
llama.     The  latter  was  the  only  beast  of  burden  known 


Fig.  12. — Group  of  skeletons  of  Pigmy  Camels  {Stenomylus  hitchcocki 
Loomis)  mounted  in  the  Carnegie  Museum.     A  natural  size. 

by  the  natives  in  all  South  America  at  the  time  of  the 
Conquest,  and  is  still  used  as  such  in  the  Andean  region. 
It  was  interesting  to  find  in  the  Zoological  Garden  in 
Buenos  Aires  a  guanaco  which  had  been  broken  to  the 
saddle  and  upon  which  children  were  riding  at  the  time 
of  our  visit.  Why  should  not  an  animal  like  the  guan- 
aco be  domesticated?  Simply  because  the  Indians 
apparently  did  not  make  the  attempt,  should  no  effort 
now  be  made  to  perpetuate  the  species  in  domestication? 
Robes  made  of  guanaco-skin  are  very  soft  and  warm 


Hiunos  Airts  i.s<) 

and  beautiful ;  and  the  tlesh  is  palatable,  quite  as  ^jood 
as  mutton,  so  I  am  told.  Why  in  fact  should  not  a 
multitude  of  other  creatures,  which  now  only  exist  in 
a  wild  state,  be  domesticated  instead  of  being  simply 
exterminated?  What  a  dreary  world  this  is  going  to  be 
a  thousantl  }'ears  from  now,  when,  at  the  present  rate 
of  destruction,  the  only  things  left  upon  the  surface  of 
the  globe  capable  of  motion  will  be  machines,  bugs, 
chickens,  cows,  sheep,  and  asses — the  latter  principally 
of  the  two-legged  variety ! 

The  aviaries  in  the  Zoological  Garden  at  Buenos 
Aires  are  especially  worthy  of  remark.  I  have  visited 
every  zoological  garden  in  Europe  and  North  America, 
and  I  am  certain  that  in  none  of  them  are  tiicre  any 
larger  enclosures  for  birds  than  those  which  have  been 
provided  by  Senor  Onelli.  This  is  as  it  should  be. 
The  largest  of  all  the  raptorial  birds  is  the  condor,  and 
captive  specimens  in  their  own  broad  land  should  have 
an  opportunity  to  stretch  their  great  wings,  and  al- 
though unable  to  soar  into  the  blue  as  they  do  in  their 
native  Andes,  they  should  not  be  cooi)ed  up  and  con- 
fined in  the  narrow  bounds  usually  allotted  to  such 
creatures  elsewhere.  It  seems  that  the  learned  Director 
of  the  Garden  in  Buenos  Aires  has  felt  this  fact,  and 
the  vultures,  eagles,  and  hawks  in  his  collection  have 
a  chance  to  fly,  not  merely  to  flap  their  wings.  One  of 
the  birds  which  I  was  especially  glad  to  see  was  a 
specimen  of  the  harpy-eagle,  a  magnificent  fowl,  in 
splendid  plumage,  with  great  startling  eyes.  Its 
crested  head  gives  it  a  regal  appearance,  ^nd  of  all  the 
birds  of  prey  it  is  the  most  truly  imperatorial  in  mien. 
The  white-headed  eagle  which  we  have  adopted  as  our 
"national  bird"  is  not  for  a  moment  to  be  compared  in 
grace  and  nobility  of  appearance  with  this  fierce  robber 


i6o  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

of  the  South  American  wilds.  Benjamin  FrankHn  ex- 
pressed a  preference  for  the  turkey  as  a  "national  bird, " 
but,  as  the  fowls  used  on  national  emblems  according  to 
the  bellicose  spirit  of  the  past  and  Roman  traditions 
have  always  been  eagles,  we  chose  an  eagle  to  scream  for 
us,  but  I  do  not  know  why  our  forefathers  should  have 
selected  and  placed  upon  our  escutcheon  the  miserable 
"bald-head, "  which  is  at  best  but  a  cowardly  thief  and 
robber.  If  they  had  selected  the  golden-eagle  it 
would  not  have  been  so  bad.  The  harpy-eagle  is  a 
still  finer  bird.  Of  all  the  eagles  I  admire  him  most  from 
the  artistic  standpoint. 

Not  very  far  from  the  grounds  of  the  Zoological 
Garden  is  the  Hippodrome,  or  Race-course,  which  is 
maintained  by  the  Jockey  Club.  Horse-racing  is  a 
popular  pastime  in  Argentina  and  the  Hippodrome  is 
one  of  the  sights  of  the  city.  The  fashionable  and  the 
unfashionable,  the  wealthy  and  the  poor  patronize  the 
races,  as  they  do  in  France,  and  Sunday,  as  in  all  Latin 
lands,  is  the  day  chosen  for  the  sport.  Large  sums  of 
money  are  won  and  lost  at  the  races.  The  Argentinos, 
like  the  French,  are  given  to  gambling  and  games  of 
chance.  The  lottery  flourishes  among  them,  and  on 
the  railway-trains,  at  the  street-comers,  and  in  the 
shops  and  stores  we  were  constantly  approached  by 
venders  of  lottery-tickets,  soliciting  us  to  take  a  chance. 

We  lingered  long  in  the  Zoological  Garden,  finding 
much  to  interest  us,  but  at  last  the  sun  began  to  sink 
toward  the  western  horizon,  and  we  were  reminded  that 
it  behooved  us  to  return  to  La  Plata.  We  boarded  a 
tram-car,  warranted  to  take  us  to  the  Plaza  Constitu- 
cion.  The  route  lay  through  narrow  streets  lined  by 
the  low  houses  which  prevail  in  the  residential  sections 
of  the  metropolis.     Let  not  the  reader  imagine  that  the 


o 


I 


4 


Buenos  Aires  i6i 

whole  of  this  great  city,  which  nearly  equ^ils  Philadel- 
phia in  the  number  of  its  inhabitants,  is  laid  out  with 
magnificent  boulevards  such  as  the  Avenida  de  Mayo. 
By  far  the  greater  number  of  the  streets  of  Buenos 
Aires  are  narrow,  conformed  to  its  original  plan,  run- 
ning at  right  angles  to  each  other  and  closely  built  up 
with  houses  of  the  Spanish  type  one  or  two  stories  in 
height.  Avenues  such  as  the  great  central  thoroughfare 
leading  from  the  Presidential  Mansion  to  the  Capitol, 
and  the  splendid  Avenida  Alvear,  on  which  are  gathered 
the  homes  of  many  of  the  wealthy,  are  the  exception, 
not  the  rule.  Buenos  Aires,  as  we  saw  it  on  our  ride 
from  the  Zoological  Garden  to  the  station  of  the  Ferro 
Carril  du  Sud,  conveys  to  the  mind  an  impression  of 
flatness  and  dull  uniformity.  Still  there  were  things  to 
arrest  attention.  We  caught  the  milkman  serving  his 
customers  rather  late  in  the  day.  It  was  not  after  the 
manner  of  New  York  or  Pittsburgh,  with  an  automobile 
loaded  with  milk-cans,  but  after  the  good  old  Italian 
fashion.  Two  cows  accompanied  by  a  calf,  the  latter 
with  a  bag  tied  over  its  hungry  mouth,  so  that  it  might 
not  invade  the  fluid  stores,  had  been  led  by  the  milk- 
man and  his  boy  through  the  streets.  At  the  door  of  a 
customer  they  had  stopped,  and,  while  the  children  of 
the  house  stood  by  to  watch  the  operation,  the  milk- 
man milked  the  cows  and  filled  the  vessels  which  the 
children  had  brought  out.  The  milk  thus  furnished  is 
certainly  pure,  provided  the  cows  have  been  fed  upon 
pure  food  and  not  allowed  to  drink  water  infected  by 
the  germs  of  typhoid  fever. 

On  a  number  of  subsequent  occasions  we  visited 
Buenos  Aires  either  for  business  or  for  pleasure,  and  for 
nearly  a  week  before  sailing  for  home  I  made  my  resi- 
dence in  the  capital  and  came  to  feel  that  I  knew  some- 


1 62  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

thing  of  it.  It  is  full  of  contrasts  such  as  are  found  in 
every  metropolitan  center.  The  architecture  in  those 
portions  which  are  not  devoted  to  business  and  traffic  is 
somewhat  monotonous,  as  I  have  already  intimated, 
but  there  are  multitudes  of  imposing  buildings  pos- 
sessing architectural  charm.  There  are  many  parks 
both  large  and  small,  and  care  has  been  taken  to  plant 
in  them  such  trees  and  shrubs  as  are  adapted  to  the 
soil  and  climate.  Paln.s  imported  from  the  north  and 
from  the  region  of  the  Mediterranean  appear  to  do  well. 
The  suburbs  of  Palermo  and  Belgrano  are  very  attrac- 
tive and  are  adorned  by  many  beautiful  and  costly 
villas  surrounded  by  well-kept  lawns  and  tasteful 
gardens. 

The  Argentinos  are  a  pleasure-loving  people,  as  is 
attested  by  the  number  of  places  of  amusement  which 
are  to  be  found.  The  Colon  Theater  is  the  largest 
opera-house  in  South  America  and  in  fact  in  the  world, 
surpassing  in  size  and  in  the  splendor  of  its  interior 
decoration  the  great  Opera-house  in  Paris.  To  it  come 
most  of  the  great  operatic  artists  of  the  day,  and  to  suc- 
ceed upon  the  stage  in  Buenos  Aires  is  a  passport  to  suc- 
cess in  Madrid,  London,  and  New  York.  In  contrast 
with  the  Colon  Theatre  may  be  put  a  hut  which  was 
found  in  the  suburbs  made  out  of  old  oil-cans,  rescued 
from  a  dumping-place  close  at  hand.  The  cans  had  been 
filled  with  earth  and  then  piled  up  one  upon  the  other 
to  form  four  low  walls.  The  edifice  was  then  covered 
over  with  old  roofing-tin,  which  likewise  had  been 
picked  up  upon  the  dump.  The  structure  formed  the 
sleeping  apartment  of  an  immigrant  laborer,  whose 
resourcefulness  exceeded  his  resources.  His  kitchen 
had  the  sky  for  a  roof;  his  pantr}'  consisted  of  a  couple 
of  pails  covered  with  pieces  of  board.     Who  can  pre- 


Buenos  Aires  163 

diet  the  luture  of  this  new  eiLizen.'  Ary;entina  is  a 
land  of  opportunity.  This  man  had  at  least  found  wha  t 
the  old  Greek  philosopher  demanded,  a  "o  J  ff'w,  a  place 
on  which  to  stand,  if  only  for  the  time  being.  I  have 
no  doubt  he  is  saving  his  pennies.  He  may  have  an 
account  in  bank,  or  in  his  stocking.  His  grandchildren 
may  come  to  live  in  a  palace  on  the  Avenida  Alvear. 
Stranger  things  than  this  have  happened.  The  Vander- 
bilt  of  Argentina  is  a  young  man  who  came  to  that 
country'  a  few  years  ago  as  a  poor  lad  from  Russia. 
His  first  employment  was  as  a  boatman.  He  rowed 
people  to  and  fro  from  the  water-front  to  the  steamers, 
and  saved  his  earnings,  as  did  his  North  American  pro- 
totype, the  young  Staten  Island  ferryman.  To-day 
he  is  the  owner  of  a  great  fleet  of  handsome  passenger 
and  freight  steamers.  Miguel  Mihanovitch  is  a  power 
to  be  reckoned  with  in  Argentina,  when  the  transporta- 
tion question  comes  up  for  consideration. 

The  life  of  Buenos  Aires  is  pervaded  by  restless  ac- 
tivity. There  appears  to  be  as  much  hurr}'  and  bustle 
in  the  streets  as  in  any  of  the  larger  cities  of  the  world, 
more  in  fact  than  in  some  which  are  not  accounted  dull. 
.\long  the  main  thoroughfares  there  pours  a  constant 
stream  of  vehicles  all  through  the  day  and  deep  into  the 
night.  The  rush  in  busy  hours  is  as  great  as  on  Broad- 
way or  Regent  Street.  I  made  my  home  in  Buenos 
Aires  at  one  of  the  quieter  hotels  on  the  Avenida  de 
Mayo.  The  room  assigned  me  on  my  arrival  was  at 
the  front  of  the  house,  but  the  noise  of  the  automobiles 
and  the  carriages  on  the  street  was  so  great  and  so 
continuous,  only  dying  down  from  about  two  until 
five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  that  I  was  unable  to  sleep 
with  comfort,  and  was  glad  to  have  my  landlord  assign 
me  a  room  in  the  rear  of  the  building,  where  the  racket 


164  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

and  clamor  of  the  street  were  less  obtrusive  and  less 
disturbing.  The  policing  of  the  streets  is  admirable, 
and  though  the  traffic  is  heavy,  the  mounted  policemen, 
who  appear  to  be  mainly  Indians  or  half-breeds,  seem 
to  understand  their  business  thoroughly  and  keep  the 
currents  of  vehicles  flowing  as  they  should.  Street- 
blockades  are  infrequent.  Traffic  holds  to  the  left,  as 
in  England,  and  not  to  the  right  as  in  the  United  States. 
Cabs  and  automobiles  for  hire  are  almost  all  supplied 
with  meters,  recording  the  fare.  The  tariff  is  very 
nearly  the  same  as  in  European  cities,  and  less  than 
in  the  United  States;  in  fact  a  taxicab  in  Buenos  Aires 
will  render  service  for  about  half  of  what  is  charged  for 
the  same  service  in  New  York  or  Chicago. 

The  tendency  to  imitate  the  customs  of  Europe  is  in 
nothing  more  evident  than  in  the  uniforms  of  the  police, 
the  soldiery,  and  the  employees  of  the  railways.  In  the 
United  States,  even  in  our  large  cities,  the  military 
are  little  in  evidence.  It  is  not  so  in  Argentina. 
Though  the  standing  army  is  small,  and  in  fact  there  is 
little  need  for  an  army,  in  every  city  of  considerable 
size  the  military  are  to  be  seen.  The  bugle  is  heard, 
and  the  regiments  march  from  their  barracks  to  the 
parade-grounds  just  as  they  do  in  Paris  or  Berlin. 
The  uniforms  are  showy.  This  is  especially  true  in 
the  case  of  one  of  the  crack  regiments  of  lancers,  which 
still  wears  the  garb  in  use  at  the  beginning  of  the  Nine- 
teenth Century,  at  the  time  of  the  War  of  Independ- 
ence. The  infantry  are  uniformed  more  or  less  after 
the  fashion  of  Germany,  and  so  also  are  the  mounted 
police.  There  is  a  decidedly  "old  world"  look  about 
these  things,  which  does  not  fail  to  attract  the  attention 
of  a  visitor  from  the  United  States. 

The  semi-seclusion  of  the  fair  sex,  which  holds  good 


The  Coloa  Theater,  Buenos  Aires. 


Humble  Home. 

Built  of   Old  Oil-Cans  Filled  with  Earth;    Roofed  with  Discarded   Tin. 
Cooking  is  Done  Outside. 


Buenos  Aires  165 

in  Spain,  prevails  in  iUl  Soutli  American  lands,  which 
have  inlierited  their  customs  and  traditions  from  Spain. 
Ladies  appear  upon  the  streets  more  or  less  closely 
veiled,  very  rarely  without  escort,  and  never  unescorted 
after  sunset.  For  a  woman  to  appear  alone  uj^on  the 
streets,  or  to  travel  without  escort,  is  sooner  or  later 
to  subject  herself  to  embarrassment.  The  free  yet 
respectful  intermingling  of  the  sexes  which  occurs  in 
northern  lands  is  unknown  here.  The  habiliments  of 
mourning  seem  to  be  much  affected  by  the  women 
in  Latin-American  countries.  I  said  to  one  of  my 
acquaintances  as  we  sat  and  watched  the  throngs  of 
passers-by  on  one  of  the  crowded  thoroughfares :  "There 
must  be  a  frightful  mortality  in  this  city,  judging  from 
the  number  of  people  in  deep  mourning. "  He  smiled 
and  replied:  "The  women  regard  black  garments  with 
favor  as  setting  off  their  charms,  and  rush  into  mourn- 
ing on  the  slightest  pretext.  The  town  is  reasonably 
healthy.     Do  not  deceive  yourself." 


CHAPTER   XIII 

THE   DELTA   OF   THE   PARANA 

"Wenn  du  am  breiten  Flusse  wohnst, 
^Seicht  stockt  er  manchmal  auch  vorbei; 
Dann,  wenn  du  deine  Wiesen  schonst, 
Heruber  schlemmt  er,  es  ist  ein  Brei. " — Goethe. 

Translation 

If  you  live  on  the  broad  river's  brim, 
It  often  runs  shallow  where  once  was  a  flood; 
Then  when  you  've  planted  your  meadows  so  trim, 
The  river  comes  up  and  smears  them  with  mud. 

THE  morning  of  the  second  day  of  October  dawned 
clear  and  bright.  Dr.  Santiago  Roth  had  in- 
formed me  on  the  previous  evening  that  he  had  com- 
pleted all  the  arrangements  for  an  excursion  to  the 
delta  of  the  Parana,  and  had  requested  me  to  meet  him 
at  the  railway-station  in  La  Plata  at  an  early  hour, 
which  he  named.  I  was  promptly  on  hand  and  we 
were  soon  in  Buenos  Aires.  We  rattled  across  the  city 
in  a  cab  and  reached  the  Retiro  Station,  where  we 
were  joined  by  Dr.  Bade  and  Professor  Lucien  Hau- 
mann-Merck,  both  of  the  Faculty  of  the  University 
of  Buenos  Aires,  both  young,  learned,  and  enthusiastic, 
the  one  a  chemist,  the  other  a  biologist.  With  Dr. 
Roth,  the  head  of  the  Geographical  and  Geological 
Survey  of  the  Province,  to  act  as  chaperon,  and  with 
two  such  good  fellows,  full  of  information,  to  help 
make  up  the  party,  I  was  sure  that  I  should  learn  much 

166 


A  Guacho. 


A  Country  Market-Place. 


I 


The  Delta  n(  {hv  Tarana  167 

of  interest.  Wc  boarded  our  train,  and  i)assing  Palermo, 
the  Hippodrome,  and  Bclgrano  with  its  pretty  villas 
perched  upon  the  slightly  rising  river-terrace,  we  came 
in  less  than  an  hour  to  San  Fernando,  a  village  tenanted 
by  fishermen,  longshoremen,  and  sailors.  The  popula- 
tion gains  a  livelihood  from  the  waters,  or,  as  boatmen, 
by  serving  the  throngs  of  people  who  freciuent  El  Tigre, 
the  adjacent  summer  resort,  which  is  to  Buenos  Aires 
what  Coney  Island  is  to  New  York.  Wc  alighted  and 
were  quickly  driven  to  the  dock,  where  a  stcain-yacht, 
which  had  been  put  at  our  disposal  by  the  authorities, 
was  lying  at  the  landing.  The  captain  was  awaiting 
our  coming,  the  steward  kindly  took  charge  of  our 
luggage,  and  in  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell  it,  the 
screw  was  in  motion  and  we  were  backing  out  into  the 
stream.  The  vessel  was  provided  with  a  cabin  capable  of 
furnishing  comfortable  accommodations  for  the  party, 
and  the  larder  was  well  stocked.  The  crew  consisted 
of  six  men,  including  the  captain,  who  was  a  Scandina- 
vian. Dr.  Roth  informed  us  that  our  objective  j)oint  was 
a  gas-well  which  had  been  reported  to  him  as  having 
been  recently  discovered,  and  which  he  wished  to  see. 
The  channel  in  which  we  found  ourselves  was  narrow, 
the  water  was  muddy,  the  banks  were  lined  with  willows 
and  small  poplars,  shading  a  xqt}'  miscellaneous  col- 
lection of  boat-houses  and  shanties,  having  a  rather 
dilapidated  and  tumble-down  ap[x?arance.  We  soon 
left  them  behind  us  and  began  to  thread  our  passage 
through  the  maze  of  waterways,  which  are  the  only 
roads  in  the  delta.  The  day  was  bright  and  sunny,  the 
breeze  which  was  created  as  we  swiftly  went  along 
blew  refreshingly  in  our  faces.  Seated  on  the  deck 
just  before  the  wheel-house,  we  asked  questions  of  the 
captain  and  received  his  replies. 


i68         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

The  delta  of  the  Parana  is  made  up  of  a  series  of 
islands,  large  and  small,  separated  by  a  multitude  of 
channels,  the  branching  arms  of  the  river,  some  of  which 
in  recent  years  have  been  deepened  by  the  Govern- 
ment and  made  navigable  for  vessels  of  light  draught. 
Here  and  there  canals  have  been  dug  to  furnish  short- 
cuts from  one  point  to  another.  Islands  are  strung 
in  a  continuous  series  on  either  side  of  the  river  from 
the  delta  as  far  north  as  Rosario  and  even  beyond,  but 
there  are  rather  more  of  them  on  the  right  than  on  the 
left  side  of  the  stream.  The  Parana  discharges  by  two 
main  channels,  the  larger  lying  to  the  north  and  receiv- 
ing the  Uruguay  River  just  before  entering  the  estuary, 
the  smaller  lying  to  the  south.  Both  are  navigable  for 
ocean-going  craft.  Between  these  two  main  channels 
and  on  either  side  of  them  are  countless  islands  forming 
the  delta,  which  has  an  area  nearly  as  great  as  that  of  the 
State  of  Delaware.  These  islands  are  low  and  flat,  their 
surface  raised  at  most  only  a  few  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  water.  All  are  subject  to  more  or  less  complete 
inundation  at  the  time  of  floods.  The  houses  built 
upon  them  are  raised  upon  piles,  the  lower  floors  being 
from  eight  to  ten  feet  higher  than  the  surface  of  the 
ground.  Were  not  this  precaution  taken,  the  people 
would  find  everything  afloat  in  their  dwellings  at  least 
once  or  twice  a  year.  There  was  a  time  not  very 
long  ago  when  these  lands  were  regarded  as  more  or 
less  worthless.  The  inhabitants  were  squatters,  who 
subsisted  by  hunting  and  fishing.  Their  chief  source 
of  revenue  was  derived  from  the  sale  of  the  pelts  of  the 
" Nutria' \Myopotamus  coypns),  a  large  rodent,  the 
fur  of  which  resembles  that  of  the  beaver.  After  a 
time  some  of  them  betook  themselves  to  growing 
peaches  and  other  fruits,  which  were  found  to  thri\o, 


Tlic  Dilla  of  the  P.uaiK'i  Kx; 

and  for  which  a  market  sprang  uj^  in  Buenos  Aires. 
A  number  of  years  ago  bHght  invaded  the  peach-groves 
and  their  cultivation  was  gradually  abandoned.  The 
peach  trees  were  cut  down  and  sold  as  firewood  in  the 
city  markets.  The  demand  for  firewood,  as  Buenos 
Aires  increased  in  size,  became  insistent,  and  the  peojile 
of  the  swamps  took  to  planting  willows  and  poplars, 
which  mature  quickly.  The  business  proved  j)rofitable. 
The  original  forest-growth  consisted  mainly  of  the 
Erythrina  crista-galli,  a  low  papilionaceous  tree,  which 
in  the  sjiringtime  throws  out  from  its  gnarled  and 
knotted  branches  great  masses  of  purplish-red  bloom. 
As  these  trees  were  cut  down,  they  were  replaced  in 
every  direction  with  plantations  of  Italian  poplars 
and  European  willows.  The  native  willow  [Salix  cliil- 
etisis),  which  grows  here  and  there,  does  not  seem  to 
make  wood  as  rapidly  as  the  imported  European  species, 
and  it  was  only  occasionally  that  we  saw  specimens  of 
this  beautiful  tree.  The  weeping  willow  {Salix  baby- 
lonica)  is  extensively  planted  and  ver>'  common.  As 
soon  as  the  willows  and  poplars  acquire  a  diameter  of 
from  six  to  ten  inches,  they  arc  cut  down  and  sawn 
into  short  lengths  for  firewood  and  carried  to  the 
market.  We  met  scores  of  lighters  towed  by  tugs, 
piled  high  with  wood  which  was  being  taken  to  the 
wharves  of  the  city.  Though  peaches  are  still  grown 
to  a  limited  extent,  oranges  have  proved  more  profitable, 
and  many  of  the  islands  arc  now  covered  with  extensive 
groves  of  lemon  and  orange  trees.  The  quince  also 
does  well,  and,  escaping  from  cultivation, , it  has  taken 
possession  of  many  tracts,  completely  covering  them. 
The  bushes,  were  arrayed  in  white  bloom  as  we 
passed  through  the  canals.  The  fruit  when  n\)Q  is 
gathered,  and  quince- jelly  in  flat  tin  cans,  like  those  in 


170         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

which  guava-jelly  is  put  up,  is  one  of  the  staple  sweet- 
meats which  is  sold  in  great  quantities  in  the  markets 
and  grocery  shops  of  Buenos  Aires.  The  value  of  these 
lands  has  appreciated,  and  men  of  wealth  have  pur- 
chased large  holdings  in  the  delta,  and  from  the  sale 
of  firewood  and  fruits  are  receiving  handsome  returns 
upon  their  investments.  Some  of  the  wealthier  owners 
have  built  for  themselves  summer  homes  on  the  islands, 
about  which  they  have  planted  groves  of  eucalyptus 
and  other  ornamental  trees. 

After  leaving  San  Fernando  our  course  led  us  for  a 
short  time  through  narrow  canals,  and  we  then  reached 
the  great  southern  arm  of  the  river,  which  we  crossed. 
Looking  north  and  looking  south  the  water  seemed  to 
meet  the  sky.  On  either  side  the  low^  banks  of  this 
channel  are  clothed  with  tall  reeds  and  rushes  (Scirpus) 
forming  prairie-like  expanses  of  blue-green  marshland, 
back  of  which,  on  the  slightly  higher  ground,  were  low 
fringes  of  taller  and  darker  green  growths.  A  number 
of  large  ocean-going  vessels  were  in  sight,  either  going 
up  toward  Rosario,  or  coming  down.  We  made  our 
way  diagonally  across  the  river  to  the  entrance  of 
another  canal,  through  which  we  passed,  reaching  at 
length  a  larger  stream  on  the  banks  of  which  was  the 
station  of  the  island-police,  where  we  took  on  board  a 
soldier  in  uniform.  It  seems  that  in  this  interminable 
tangle  of  islands  and  waterways  travel  is  not  always 
safe.  River- thieves  and  desperadoes  have  found  hiding- 
places,  where  they  watch  for  opportunities  to  rob  the 
unwary,  and  although  our  yacht  was  a  government 
vessel,  the  additional  precaution  w^as  taken  of  having 
on  board  a  man  clothed  with  authority  to  make  arrests 
and  handle  a  gun  should  occasion  arise. 

I  was  happy  in  the  company  of  Dr.  Haumann-Merck, 


The  Delta  of  llic  Parana  171 

who  from  the  stores  of  his  botanical  knowledge  brought 
forth  much  for  my  information,  and  was  able  to  answer 
the  questions  which  were  prompted  at  ever}'  turn  by  the 
vegetation  upon  the  banks.  lie  drew  my  attention  to 
the  fact  that  on  the  sides  of  the  canals  there  were  vast 
masses  of  a  Japanese  honeysuckle,  which  has  escaped 
from  cultivation  and  become  a  veritable  weed,  covering 
large  areas  and  suffocating  all  other  growlhs.  The 
commonest  plants  representing  the  primitive  flora  of 
the  region  are  Scnecio  honariensis,  Eryngium  paniciila- 
ttim,  and  Solatium  bonariense.  The  Senecio  grows 
abundantly  in  the  marshes  and  sends  up  a  cluster  of 
large  dock-like  leaves  from  the  center  of  which  a  stem 
from  six  to  eight  feet  in  height  shoots  up,  surmounted 
by  a  great  loose  spike  of  white  blossoms.  The  Er>'n- 
gium  has  leaves  which  somewhat  resemble  those  of  the 
century-plant,  but  much  thinner,  not  more  than  two 
inches  thick  at  the  base,  and  relatively  longer,  as  much 
as  four  or  five  feet  in  length,  with  the  edges  protected  by 
prickly  serrations.  It  grows  in  great  tangles  upon  the 
sides  of  the  streams,  forming  almost  imi)enetrable 
thickets.  I  could  scarcely  bring  myself  to  believe  at 
first  that  this  plant,  so  closely  resembling  the  agave 
in  the  form  of  its  foliage,  belongs  to  the  Umbcllijcrcp. 
However,  at  our  first  landing-j^lace  my  botanical  friend 
speedily  dispelled  my  doubts.  He  pulled  off  one  of  the 
leaves  of  the  plant,  and  bade  me  smell  its  broken  end. 
I  at  once  recognized  the  familiar  carroty  odor  of  the 
umbel-bearing  plants.  The  Eryngium  unfortunately 
was  not  in  blossom.  The  Solanum,  which  is  a  scandent 
or  climbing  species,  was  in  flower,  and  displayed  great 
masses  of  white  bloom  as  it  trailed  over  evcr^'thing 
within  reach.  Occasionally  we  saw  palms,  but  they 
were  not  numerous,  and  their  proximity  to  dwellings 


172  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

suggested  that  they  might  have  been  planted.  In  tlic 
canals  and  bayous  there  were  abundant  growths  of 
aquatic  plants,  among  them  a  natant  Pontederia. 

Birds  were  not  as  numerous  as  I  had  expected  to  find 
them.  A  few  herons  were  seen  on  the  wing.  Cor- 
morants [Phalacrocorax  brasilianus)  abounded.  They 
hardly  took  the  trouble  to  get  out  of  the  way  of  the 
vessel  as  it  came  toward  them.  Sometimes  they  rose 
and  made  a  short  flight,  but  frequently  only  dove  to 
the  right  or  the  left  and  came  up  again  a  few  feet  away. 
The  birds  seem  to  be  silent,  and  I  never  heard  them 
utter  any  cry,  but  W.  H.  Hudson,  who  has  written 
most  charmingly  about  the  birds  of  Argentina,  says: 
"When  many  individuals  congregate  to  roost  on  the 
branches  of  a  dead  tree  overhanging  the  water  they 
keep  up  a  concert  of  deep,  harsh,  powerful  notes  all 
night  long,  which  would  cause  any  person  not  ac- 
quainted with  their  language  to  imagine  that  numerous 
pigs  or  peccaries  were  moving  about  with  incessant 
gruntings  in  his  neighborhood." 

On  the  wider  reaches  of  the  river  we  saw  a  few  gulls 
(Lams  maculipennis) .  The  gaviotas,  as  the  natives 
call  them,  have  the  habit,  which  I  have  observed  to 
belong  also  to  the  gulls  of  Scotland  and  Scandinavia, 
of  following  the  plowman  in  the  furrows  to  pick  up 
grubs  and  worms.  In  Argentina  they  are  viewed  with 
favor  by  the  country-folk.     Hudson  says : 

If  the  weather  is  dry  the  gulls  disappear  altogether;  and 
if  grasshoppers  become  abundant  the  country  people  wish 
for  rain  to  bring  the  gulls.  When  it  rains,  then  the  birds 
quickly  appear,  literally  from  the  clouds,  and  often  in  such 
numbers  as  to  free  the  earth  from  the  plague  of  devastating 
insects.  It  is  a  fine  and  welcome  sight  to  see  a  white  cloud 
of  birds  settle  on  the  afiflicted  district;  and  at  such  times 


The  Delta  of  the  Parana  173 

their  mode  of  proceeding  is  so  regular  that  the  flix;k  well 
deserves  the  apiKjIlation  of  an  army.  They  sweep  down 
with  a  swift  graceful  flight  and  settle  on  the  ground  u-ith 
loud  joyful  cries,  hut  do  not  ahanik)n  the  order  of  attack 
when  the  work  of  devouring  has  begun.  The  flock  often 
presents  a  front  of  over  a  thousand  feet,  with  a  depth  of 
sixty  or  seventy  feet;  all  along  this  line  of  battle  the  excited 
cries  of  the  birds  produce  a  loud  continuous  noise;  all  the 
birds  are  incessantly  on  the  move,  some  skimming  along 
the  surface  with  expanded  wings,  others  pursuing  the 
fugitives  through  the  air,  while  all  the  time  the  hindmost 
birds  are  flying  over  the  flock  to  alight  in  the  front  ranks, 
so  that  the  whole  body  is  steadily  advancing,  devouring  the 
grasshoppers  as  it  proceeds.  When  they  first  arrive  they 
seem  ravenously  hungry,  and  after  gorging  themselves  they 
fly  to  the  water,  where  after  drinking  they  cast  up  their 
food,  and  then  go  back  to  renew  the  battle. 

I  saw  a  number  of  the  Yellow-shouldered  Marsh- 
birds  {Agelcciis  ihiliiis),  resembling  our  Red- winged 
Blackbirds,  from  which  they  differ  apparently  in  being 
a  little  smaller,  and  having  the  shoulders  of  the  male 
bright  yellow,  instead  of  red  as  in  the  case  of  our 
species.  The  female  is  somber  in  plumage  and  lacks 
the  gay  epaulets  of  her  mate.  There  were  many  of 
these  birds  among  the  rushes  as  we  entered  the  canal 
after  we  had  crossed  the  river.  Here  I  also  caught 
sight  of  the  Scarlet-headed  Marsh-bird  (ylw6/3'r/wm/>//z/5 
holosericeus).  They  were  conspicuous  objects  as  they 
clung  to  the  tops  of  the  tall  nishes.  I  was  happy  to 
see  the  Cardinal  Finch  {Paroaru:  cucullata)  alighting 
in  a  thicket.  Its  crested  head  recalls  our  own  Virginian 
Cardinal,  but  the  markings  are  different,  the  lower 
parts  of  the  body  being  white,  the  back  and  wings  gray, 
while  the  crested  head  and  throat  are  brilliant  scarlet. 


174         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

This  appears  to  be  a  common  cage-bird  in  Buenos  Aires, 
and  many  of  them  were  exposed  for  sale  in  the  markets. 
The  vessel  steadily  pushed  forward  hour  by  hour 
through  the  canals  and  wider  reaches  of  open  water. 
We  maintained  a  speed  of  from  twelve  to  fourteen 
knots.  At  last  we  came  to  a  region  where  human  activ- 
ities were  less  apparent  and  the  plantations  of  poplars 
and  willows  were  less  frequent.  Here  and  there  were 
tracts  still  covered  with  the  gray,  gnarled  trunks  of  the 
Erythrina,  the  native  forest-tree  of  the  region,  just 
beginning  to  put  out  shoots  of  green  and  preparing  for 
the  period  of  blossoms.  Tufts  of  pampas-grass  held  up 
the  dried  feathery  plumes  of  the  former  year.  This 
plant,  familiar  to  us  from  our  lawns  and  gardens,  is  more 
frequent  in  the  marshes  than  on  the  broad  dry  prairies, 
which  most  of  us  have  imagined  to  be  covered  by  it.  It 
is  a  plant  of  the  lowlands  and  swamps.  The  sun  began 
to  sink  toward  the  western  horizon.  Clouds  in  long 
bars  stretched  across  the  sky.  As  the  day  waned  they 
were  lit  up  with  the  glory  of  the  sunset.  The  breezes 
had  died  down,  the  bayous  and  streams  became  still 
and  mirror-like.  Not  a  dimple  could  be  seen  upon  their 
wide  expanses,  save  here  and  there  where  a  fish  leaped 
at  an  insect.  The  glory  of  the  sunset  grew  and  in- 
creased, the  clouds  became  purple  and  crimson  and 
then  in  the  west  melted  into  gold.  The  waters  gave 
back  in  brilliant  reflections  the  splendors  of  the  sky. 
We  seemed  to  be  pushing  our  way  forward  \\4th  the 
sky  above  us  and  the  sky  below  us,  the  two  only  parted 
by  the  low  long  fringe  of  trees  on  the  distant  bank,  clad 
in  the  tender  green  of  the  springtime,  reflected  in  darker 
greens  from  the  bosom  of  the  wide  lake-like  waterway 
through  which  we  were  going.  At  last  the  sun  went 
down.     The  night  comes  quickly  in  these  regions,  and 


The  Delta  of  the  Parana  175 

(nir  captain  turned  the  prow  to  a  narrow  creek  into 
which  we  ran,  and  where  we  presentl}'  came  to  a  rude 
dock  and  a  house  perched  high  on  piles.  Here  we 
made  fast,  and  here  we  were  to  stay  for  the  night,  for  to 
navigate  these  waters  in  the  darkness  is  dangerous. 
We  clambered  out  upon  the  dock  and  up  a  rickety  flight 
of  stairs,  and  found  that  we  were  in  a  country-store 
where  ever\'thing  imaginable  was  for  sale  and  where 
ever>'thing  potable  from  Quilmes  beer  to  Italian 
vermouth  and  Scotch  whiskey  could  be  purchased. 
Perched  on  the  edge  of  a  swamp,  the  ground  beneath  the 
building  was  so  wet  that  botanizing  was  cjuickly  given 
up  as  certain  to  involve  the  risk  of  being  buried  in  the 
quagmire.  We  wondered  how  any  human  being  could 
have  chosen  such  a  place  as  a  likely  spot  upon  which  to 
carry  on  trade.  But  during  the  evening  boats  came  and 
went  and  customers  slipped  in  from  the  starlit  water 
with  lanterns  at  the  prows  of  their  craft  and  gathered 
at  the  bar  to  drink,  or  made  their  purchases  and  then 
silently  rowed  of!  into  the  darkness  as  they  had  come. 
We  dined  on  board  and  had  occasion  to  compliment 
the  cook  upon  the  excellent  meal  which  he  served.  We 
smoked  our  cigars  upon  deck;  watched  the  brilliant 
reflections  of  the  full-orbed  planets  in  the  mirror  of  the 
stream;  told  tales  both  grave  and  gay;  and  then  turned 
in.  How  still  it  was!  The  only  sound  was  that  of  the 
toads  in  the  marsh.  In  the  United  States  we  welcome 
the  sound  of  the  "frogs"  in  the  meadows  as  a  harbin- 
ger of  the  springtime.  Our  "frogs,"  to  be  exact,  are 
toads.  The  note  of  Bitfo  amcricanus,  the  common  toad 
of  New  England  and  the  Middle  States,  in  the  mating- 
season  is  a  succession  of  chiqjs,  quickly  succeeding  each 
other — "pcep-poep-peep" — or  a  trilling  note  in  a  high 
key;  the  note  of  the  Argentine  toad  exactly  resembles 


176  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

the  sound  of  a  Castanet.  I  recall  that  on  one  of  the 
first  nights  of  my  stay  in  La  Plata  I  wandered  out  into 
the  park,  where  my  attention  was  attracted  to  the 
tinkling  castanets  of  the  little  creatures  which  thronged 
the  borders  of  the  artificial  lakelet  near  the  Zoological 
Garden.  It  seemed  as  if  a  hundred  fairy  Spanish 
dancers  were  celebrating  the  advent  of  spring.  In 
the  darkness  of  the  early  evening  in  our  own  country  the 
croaking  of  the  toads  in  the  marshes  sometimes  conveys 
a  mournful  impression,  but  in  Argentina  there  is  a 
merry  tone  and  a  note  of  gayety  about  their  concerts 
quite  consonant  with  the  Latin  surroundings.  To  the 
sound  of  these  tinkling  castanets,  which  were  ceaselessly 
being  played  on  the  margin  of  the  quiet  river,  I  at  last 
fell  into  a  dreamless  sleep. 

When  I  awoke  the  light  of  the  dawn  was  already 
shining  through  the  port-holes.  I  heard  the  tramp  of 
feet  upon  the  deck  and  realized  that  my  companions 
were  already  astir.  Quickly  dressing,  I  joined  them. 
The  morning  was  warm  and  as  still  as  the  night  had 
been.  Little  wreaths  of  vapor  were  curling  up  here  and 
there  from  the  smooth  surface  of  the  water.  The  sun 
came  up  into  a  cloudless  sky.  Breakfast  was  soon 
served,  and,  while  we  were  eating  it,  the  screw  again 
began  to  turn  and  we  went  on  as  we  had  gone  the  day 
before.  We  were  now  near  the  great  main  arm  of  the 
Parana  where  it  is  joined  by  the  mighty  stream  of 
the  Uruguay  coming  out  of  the  tropical  woodlands  of  the 
north.  Dr.  Roth  pointed  across  the  wide  river  to  the 
far-off  shore  and  told  me  that  I  was  looking  upon 
the  borders  of  the  Repiiblica  Oriental,  as  Uruguay  is 
called.  On  the  horizon  was  the  smoke  of  an  ocean-liner 
steaming  away  into  the  pale  haze  of  the  morning. 

At  last  we  reached  our  destination,  the  home  of  an 


The  Delta  of  the  Parana  177 

Italian,  who  had  purchased  a  place  for  himself  in  the 
lowlands,  which  he  had  improved  by  building  a  house 
and  outbuildings,  and  where  he  had  sunk  an  artesian 
well  to  get  a  supply  of  good  drinking-water.  To  his 
amazement  when  the  well  began  to  flow  it  yielded  water 
full  of  gas.  We  went  to  the  well,  which  was  discharging 
a  constant  stream  of  clear  water  through  a  bent  iron 
j)ipe.  The  water  was  nmning  through  a  number  of  tin 
gutters  into  the  river.  Dr.  Roth  struck  a  match  and 
held  it  above  the  water.  Flames  instantly  arose  and 
for  twenty  feet  the  stream  was  covered  with  coruscating, 
lambent  tongues  of  fire.  To  one  familiar  with  the  great 
gas-wells  of  western  Pennsylvania  it  appeared  a  very- 
tame  little  affair,  but  it  was  interesting  to  see  how  steady 
was  the  flow  of  the  gas.  It  undoubtedly  was  marsh-gas, 
which  had  accumulated  in  the  ground.  The  soil  of 
these  alluvial  islands  is  rich  in  decomposing  vegetable 
matter,  and  in  places  is  almost  as  black  as  peat.  The 
formation  of  marsh-gas  in  great  volume  is  what  might 
be  anticipated  from  existing  conditions.  Dr.  Bade 
collected  a  number  of  samples  of  the  gas  for  analysis. 
Samples  of  the  water  were  also  taken.  While  the  chem- 
ist and  the  geol(jgist  were  attending  to  these  matters, 
the  botanist  and  the  entomologist  started  out  for  a  tour 
of  exploration  through  the  clearing,  which  showed  the 
marks  of  having  (}uite  recently  been  overflowed.  Deep 
drainage  ditches  had  been  run  in  different  directions. 
Between  them  on  the  land  which  had  thus  been  partially 
dried  young  orange  and  lemon  trees  had  been  planted, 
and  an  extensive  vegetable  garden  had  been  laid  out. 
The  small  son  of  the  owner  accompanied  us.  Butler- 
flies  were  not  numerous,  though  the  sun  was  warm 
(  nough  to  entice  them  from  their  hiding-places.  We 
caught  some  specimens  of  Eresia  anieta   .iikI    Err<iia 


178  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

siniois  (Frontispiece,  Figs.  1 1  and  1 2) ;  we  obtained  a  1l\v 
moths  and  dragonflies.     Then  at  the  suggestion  of  the 
boy  we  got  into  a  boat  and  crossed  over  to  the  low  shore 
on  the  opposite  side  of  a  creek  which  runs  through  the 
land.     Here  we  saw  in  the  water  a  number  of  large 
fishes  known  by  the  natives  as  the  Dorado,  golden  in 
color,  swimming  about  in  circles  just  under  the  surface, 
and  evidently  in  distress.    Dead  fishes  of  this  and  other 
species  were  everywhere  visible.     The  strange  disease 
of  which  I  have  already  spoken  in  a  previous  chapter 
was  doing  its  deadly  work  among  the  finny  denizens 
of  these  streams.     Just  as  we  landed  a  flock  of  birds 
came  circling  through  the  air  and  alighted  upon  a  tall 
dead  tree  not  far  off.     My  companion  at  once  called 
my  attention  to  them  and  told  me  that  they  were 
green  parrakeets  {Bolborhynchus  monachiis) .     The  cor- 
rectness of  the  determination  was  quickly  confirmed 
by  my  opera-glasses.     It  was  interesting  to  watch  them 
as  they  climbed  about  among  the  branches  using  their 
bills  as  well  as  their  feet.     They  were  noisy  and  quick 
and  restless  in  their  movements.     These  birds  once 
were  very  numerous  in  Argentina,  but  have  been  very 
cruelly  persecuted  in  recent  years,  so  that  their  numbers 
have   greatly    diminished.     The   squabs   when   about 
ready  to  fly  are  esteemed  a  delicacy,  and,  as  the  birds 
nest  in  colonies,  they  are  meeting  the  same  fate  which 
has  already  befallen  the  beautiful  Carolina  parrakeet, 
which  once  was  common  in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio  and 
southward,  but  which  is  now  extinct.     Hudson  in  de- 
scribing the  nesting-habits  of  these  birds  says : 

The  nests  are  suspended  from  the  extremities  of  the 
branches,  to  which  they  are  firmly  woven.  New  nests  con- 
sist of  only  two  chambers,  the  porch  and  the  nest  proper, 


The  Delta  of  the  Parana  179 

and  arc  iiiliabited  by  a  sinj^le  pair  of  birds.  Successive  nests 
are  added,  until  some  of  them  come  to  weigh  a  quarter  of  a 
ton,  and  contain  enouph  material  to  fill  a  large  cart.  Thorny 
twigs,  firmly  interwoven,  form  the  only  material,  and  there 
is  no  lining  in  the  breeding-chambers,  even  in  the  breeding 
season.  Some  old  forest-trees  have  seven  or  eight  of  these 
huge  structures  suspended  from  the  branches,  while  the 
ground  underneath  is  covered  with  twigs  and  remains  of 
fallen  nests.  The  entrance  to  the  chamber  is  generally 
underneath,  or,  if  at  the  side,  is  protected  by  an  overhanging 
eave  to  prevent  the  intrusion  of  opossums.  .  .  .  Repairs 
are  carried  on  all  the  year  round,  but  new  nests  are  only 
added  at  the  approach  of  spring.  Opossums  arc  frequently 
found  in  one  of  the  higher  chambers  when  the  entrance  has 
been  made  too  high,  but,  though  they  take  up  their  abode 
there,  they  cannot  reach  the  other  chambers,  and  the 
parrakeets  refuse  to  go  away. 

I  attempted  to  get  nearer  to  the  flock  and  cautiously 
made  my  way  toward  the  tree  upon  which  they  were 
climbing  about,  but  they  did  not  fancy  my  approach, 
though  I  had  no  evil  purpose  in  wishing  to  get  nearer 
to  them.  Xo  doubt  taught  by  sad  experience  that  men 
are  to  be  feared,  they  suddenly  with  loud  cries  rose  into 
the  air  and  wheeling  in  their  flight  betook  themselves  to 
another  dead  tree,  which  stood  far  off  in  the  clearing  and 
to  which  it  would  have  been  vain  for  me  to  attempt  to 
follow  them  across  muddy  ditches  and  through  thorny 
tangles.  While  I  was  engaged  in  stalking  the  parra- 
keets and  chasing  insects,  the  botanist  was  happy  to 
discover  upon  the  mossy  trunks  of  some  half-dead 
trees  colonies  of  curious  epiphytes.  He  found  several 
orchids,  of  which  he  possessed  himself,  removing  them 
together  with  the  damp  bark  to  which  they  were 
adherent.  I  hope  that  they  lived,  and  have  since  then 
bloomed. 


i8o 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


The  evening  before  Dr.  Roth  had  entertained  us  with 
an  account  of  the  habits  of  the  carpincho  {Ilydrochosrus 
capybara),  the  huge  rodent  of  these  regions,  which  is  still 
not  uncommon  in  the  delta.  It  is  as  large  as  a  pig,  the 
biggest  rodent  now  known  to  exist,  though  once  there 
were  animals  (Diprotodon)  belonging  to  the  Roden- 
tia  as  large  as  oxen.      The  carpincho  is  nocturnal  in 


Fig.  13 — Carpinchos  (Hydrorhwrns  capybara).     ;,\,  nat.  size. 


its  habits.  The  good  Doctor  told  us  that  when  engaged 
in  surveying  the  country  he  had  at  one  time  in  his 
employment  a  man  whose  highest  delight  was  to  hunt 
carpinchos  at  night.  He  was  "  carpincho-crazy, "  and 
after  having  worked  hard  all  day,  would  hurriedly  eat 
his  supper,  and  then  sneak  off  in  a  rowboat  and  spend 
the  whole  night  v/aiting  in  the  darkness  at  some  likely 
spot  to  get  a  shot  at  the  animals.  The  flesh  is  said  not 
to  be  very  palatable,  and  the  hides  have  comparatively 
small  value,  being  chiefly  used  in  making  the  under  sides 
of  the  native  saddles,  or  straps  in  harness.  "Keep 
your  eyes  open  for  carpinchos,"  said  the  Doctor,  "you 
may  catch  sight  of  the  animals  hereabouts. "  As  luck 
would  have  it  we  did  not  see  any  of  the  beasts,  but 
within  a   hundred  yards   of  the  farmhouse   we   came 


The  Delta  of  the  Parana  iSi 

ujjoii  the  tracks  and  the  ordure  of  a  herd,  which  had 
evidently  been  at  work  in  the  vegetable  patch  of  our 
Italian  acquaintance  during  the  night. 

But  the  whistle  of  the  steam-yacht  blew,  a  signal 
that  the  time  for  leaving  had  come.  We  returned  to 
the  landing,  and  in  exchange  for  the  red  roses  which  the 
pretty  black-eyed  children  of  our  Italian  friend  brought 
us,  gave  them  a  box  of  bon-bons,  at  sight  of  which 
their  eyes  fairly  sparkled.  With  many  an  "  Adios"  wc 
parted  company,  and  the  swift  little  craft  swung  out 
into  the  stream  and  turning  began  to  head  back  again 
through  the  channels  toward  Buenos  Aires. 

The  day  was  still  young  when  we  got  under  way  and 
we  were  informed  that  we  would  have  a  chance  to  loiter 
on  our  return  and  that  we  would  make  several  stops. 
Our  first  place  of  call  was  a  landing  where  the  captain 
had  an  acquaintance  with  whom  he  wished  to  speak. 
His  friend  was  evidently  possessed  of  floricultural 
tastes.  The  house  stood  on  piles  only  about  ten  feet 
from  the  edge  of  the  stream.  Back  of  the  house  there 
appeared  to  be  an  almost  impenetrable  growth  of  jungle, 
and  in  the  narrow  ojx?n  strip  between  the  water  and  the 
house  was  a  curiously  commingled  growth  of  all  sorts 
of  flowering  plants  and  shrubs.  Pansies  and  migno- 
nette, verbenas  and  calla-lillics,  roses  and  heliotropes, 
geraniums,  fuchsias,  and  almond  bushes  were  all 
blossoming  together.  On  the  stumps  of  two  or  three 
half -decayed  trees  orchids  had  been  fastened  and  seemed 
to  be  thriving.  Petunias  and  sweet  alyssum  were 
growing  in  boxes.  The  little  garden,  raised  by  only  a 
foot  or  two  above  the  river,  the  slime  of  which  must 
often  invade  the  spot,  looked  bright  against  the  back- 
ground of  the  drear\'  uncultivated  waste  in  which  the 
building  is  located.     The  owner  was  a  store-keeper  like 


1 82         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

the  one  at  whose  landing  we  had  tied  up  during  the 
previous  night,  and  the  same  array  of  merchandise 
which  had  graced  the  one  place  graced  the  other. 
Boxes  containing  Huntley  and  Palmer's  Biscuits,  Epps' 
Cocoa,  Lipton's  Teas,  and  Heinz's  Tomato  Catsup 
grinned  at  us  like  old  familiar  friends  encountered  in 
a  strange  place.  There  were  cans  of  petroleum  bearing 
the  familiar  marks  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company. 
Cones  of  sugar  wrapped  in  blue  paper  were  hanging 
from  the  roof  over  the  counter.  Bolts  of  muslin  and 
calico,  nails  and  hatchets,  corrugated  sheet-iron  and 
ditching-shovels,  candy  in  jars,  cigarettes,  shoes  and 
sewing-thread,  cheap  jewelry  and  stationery,  tinware 
and  pottery — all  things  under  the  sun — were  jumbled 
together  under  the  shingled  roof.  It  reminded  me  of 
similar  places  which  I  have  found  in  our  own  Western 
country.  It  was  a  typical  "country-store."  Men  are 
the  same  everywhere,  and  their  wants  are  the  same  the 
world  over.  Humanity  in  the  swamps  of  the  Parana  is 
not  essentially  different  from  humanity  on  the  banks 
of  the  Green  River  in  Utah,  or  on  the  banks  of  the 
Thames  and  the  Hudson. 

Our  next  stop  was  made  at  one  of  the  plantations 
belonging  to  Sefior  Gnecco,  a  friend  of  Dr.  Roth,  who 
had  told  him  not  to  fail  to  call  as  he  passed  by  and  get 
a  basket  of  oranges.  The  house  is  built  upon  a  slight 
elevation  or  hummock,  sufficiently  elevated  to  insure 
against  its  being  flooded,  except  when  the  waters  attain 
an  unusual  height.  The  orange-trees  were  loaded  with 
golden  fruit,  quinces,  pear-trees,  and  apple-trees  were 
white  with  bloom,  the  orchards  resounded  with  the 
hum  of  bees,  and  butterflies  were  fluttering  here  and 
there  among  the  flowers.  While  the  Doctor,  assisted 
by  the  attendants  of  the  place,  who  welcomed  him  with 


The  Delta  of  tile  I\iiana 


kS.> 


cordiality,  was  getting  his  oranges,  I  wandered  away 
among  the  trees.  I  was  dcHghted  while  doing  so  to 
come  u{K)n  a  domesticated  pair  of  the  Crested  Screamer 
{Chaunia  chavaria),  known  by  the  natives  under  the 
vernacular  name  of  chaja.  This  great  bird,  as  large  as 
a  swan,  is  remarkable  because  of  the  fact  that  the  wings 
are  each  armed  \sith  two  large  spurs,  and  it  is  therefore 
sometimes  called  the  "Spur- 
winged  Goose."  It  used  to 
be  until  quite  recently  very 
common  on  the  pampas  south 
of  Buenos  Aires,  and,  though 
the  flesh  is  excellent,  it  was 
rarely  killed  by  the  people 
of  Spanish  descent,  who,  unlike 
their  cousins,  the  Italians,  are 
not  given  to  the  wholesale  de- 
struction of  birds.  The  rapid 
increase  of  Italian  immigra- 
tion into  Argentina  bodes  ill 
for  the  preservationof  its  splen- 
did avifauna,  and  the  Crested 
Screamer  is  doomed  to  exter- 
mination unless  it  is  speedily 

domesticated,  which  can  easily  be  done.  It  lends 
itself  to  domestication  more  readily  than  most  water- 
fowls, and  it  ought  to  be  preserved  in  this  way.  The 
bird  is  one  of  the  most  remarkabk  of  the  anserine 
group  on  account  of  its  singular  habits.  ,  These  have 
been  described  by  Hudson,  and  I  cannot  forbear  giving 
a  brief  extract  from  his  interesting  account.     He  says: 


F'ig.  14. — Crested  Screamer 
{Chaunia  chavaria).     tS>   nat. 
size. 


The  screamer  is  a  very  heavy  bird,  and  rises  from  the  ground 
laboriously,  the  wings,  as  in  the  case  of  the  swan,  making  a 


1 84         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

loud  noise.  Nevertheless  it  loves  soaring,  and  will  rise  in 
an  immense  spiral  until  it  wholly  disappears  from  sight  in 
the  zenith,  even  in  the  brightest  weather;  and  considering 
its  great  bulk  and  dark  color,  the  height  it  ultimately  attains 
must  be  very  great.  On  sunny  windless  days,  especially  in 
winter  and  spring,  they  often  spend  hours  at  a  time  in  these 
sublime  aerial  exercises,  slowly  floating  around  and  around 
in  vast  circles  and  singing  at  intervals.  How  so  heavy  and 
comparatively  short-winged  a  bird  can  sustain  itself  for 
such  long  periods  in  the  thin  upper  air  to  which  it  rises  has 
not  yet  been  explained. 

The  voice  is  very  powerful.  When  disturbed,  or  when 
the  nest  is  approached,  both  birds  utter  at  intervals  a  loud 
alarm-cry,  resembling  in  sound  the  anger-cry  of  the  peacock 
but  twice  as  loud.  At  other  times  its  voice  is  exercised  in  a 
kind  of  singing  performance,  in  which  male  and  female  join 
and  which  produces  the  effect  of  harmony.  The  male 
begins,  the  female  takes  up  her  part,  and  then  with  mar- 
velous strength  and  spirit  the}*  pour  forth  a  torrent  of 
strangely-contrasted  sounds — some  bassoon-like  in  their 
depth  and  volume,  some  like  drumbeats,  and  others  long, 
clear,  and  ringing.  It  is  the  loudest  animal  sound  of  the 
pampas,  and  its  jubilant  martial  character  strongly  affects 
the  mind  in  that  silent  melancholy  wilderness. 

The  Screamers,  like  good  Christians,  mate  for  life, 
and  though  they  at  times  congregate  in  great  numbers, 
it  has  been  observed  that  these  flocks  are  always 
methodically  arranged  in  pairs.  Although  the  spurs 
on  their  wings  are  formidable  weapons,  they  are  peace- 
fully disposed,  and  it  is  only  the  naughty  gauchos  who 
now  and  then  teach  them  degenerate  ways  and  pit 
them  against  each  other  in  the  ring. 

Leaving  the  orange-groves  behind  us,  we  proceeded  to 
a  spot  where  the  botanist  of  the  party  insisted  that  he 
must  go  ashore  to  investigate  the  flora  of  a  bit  of  primi- 


The  Delta  of  llu-  Paraiii'i  i.s.s 

tive  woodland.  A  boat  was  lowered  and  we  were  rowed 
to  the  bank.  It  was  no  easy  task  to  fi^ht  our  way 
through  the  thorny  growths  of  Eryngium  and  rough 
thickets  which  edged  the  stream.  Getting  through 
these,  the  ground  became  more  o|ien,  and  it  was  possible 
to  find  our  way  among  the  trees  and  bushes  without 
much  exertion.  A  few  moths,  a  butterfly  or  two,  and 
a  small  snake  of  a  harmless  species  were  the  only 
trophies  which  fell  to  the  writer  during  the  half-hour 
on  shore.  The  snake  was  i)ut  into  a  bag  improvised 
out  of  a  handkerchief,  and  thus  siifely  brought  alive  in 
his  pocket  to  La  Plata,  where  it  was  put  into  a  jar  of 
alcohol  to  be  sent  home  to  the  Carnegie  Museum. 
That  was  the  only  snake  I  saw  in  Argentina.  It  was 
a  real  snake. 

A  little  farther  on  we  went  ashore  at  another  planta- 
tion, also  belonging  to  SenorGnecco.  Here  the  ground 
in  proximity  to  the  landing  was  in  a  highly  cultivated 
condition.  There  were  many  flowering  shrubs  and 
trees  and  much  grass.  Butterflies  and  insects  ap|)earcd 
to  be  common,  and  I  succeeded  with  the  help  of  Dr. 
Roth,  who  also  was  provided  with  a  net,  in  making  a 
large  catch  of  diptera,  hymenoptera,  and  small  cole- 
optera,  principally  obtained  by  "sweeping"  with  the 
nets  among  the  low-growing  herbage.  By  the  time 
we  had  thoroughly  gone  over  the  ground,  the  sun 
admonished  us  that  it  was  time  to  be  again  moving. 
We  got  under  way;  at  last  reached  the  landing,  where 
our  armed  escort  left  us  with  a  polite  salute;  then  wc 
crossed  the  wde  river,  pushed  on  through  the  canals, 
and  finally  arrived  at  El  Tigre  in  the  dusk.  We  took 
a  train  which  brought  us  to  the  Capital  in  time  for  a  late 
dinner.  By  ten  o'clock  we  were  safely  back  again  in 
I^  Plau. 


1 86 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


The  delta  of  the  Parana  represents  pampas  in  the 
process  of  formation.  The  wide  level  plains  of  Argen- 
tina were  no  doubt  originally  laid  down  by  the  streams, 
just  as  the  islands  at  the  head  of  the  estuary  are  being 
formed  to-day.  The  evolution  of  the  western  Cor- 
dilleras in  recent  geologic  time  has  been  accompanied 
by  a  Ufting  up  of  the  whole  continental  mass,  more 
particularly  in  the  west,  but  there  seems  no  reason  to 
question  that  the  vast  pampean  region  stretching  from 
Paraguay  to  Patagonia  represents  the  deposition  of 
eroded  soil  derived  from  the  mountain  masses  to  the 
east  and  the  west  and  to  some  extent  to  the  south  of 
the  prairie-lands  of  the  northern  and  central  provinces 
of  Argentina.  The  winds,  it  is  true,  have  also  played 
their  part,  but  the  chief  constructive  agency  was  water. 

Here  and  there  in  the  delta  a  beginning  has  already 
been  made  in  a  small  way  to  protect  certain  of  the  lesser 
islands  from  inundation  by  throwing  up  dikes  around 
them.  While  it  would  be  a  very  expensive  undertaking 
to  construct  dikes  or  levees  about  all  of  them,  and  to 
install,  as  has  been  done  in  Holland,  windmills  to  pump 
the  water  from  the  land,  I  have  no  doubt  that  in  the 
lapse  of  years,  with  the  enhancement  of  land  values 
and  the  increase  of  population,  this  will  ultimately  be 
done,  and  the  entire  expanse  of  wonderfully  fertile 
soil  will  be  made  to  blossom  and  bear  fruit  like  a  veri- 
table Eden,  The  time  for  this,  however,  has  not  yet 
come. 


The  Beach  at  Mar  del  Plata. 


Lodging  House  of  the  Hotel  Bristol,  Mar  del  Plata. 


CHAPTER   XIV 

A   TRIP  TO   MAR   DEL    PLATA 

"The  great  gray  waves  with  an  angry  moan, 
Rush  in  on  the  patient  sand. 
The  spray  from  their  crests  is  backward  blown 
By  the  strong  wind  from  the  land. 

As  curls  arc  blown  from  a  maiden's  face 

And  flutter  behind  her  free, 
The  spindrift  blows  from  the  waves  which  race 

From  the  stress  of  the  outer  sea. " — Laurence  Hope. 

"  f  DO  noi  wish  you  to  leave  Argentina  without  having 
1  had  an  opportunity  to  see  the  Pampean  beds  at 
some  point  where  you  can  form  a  good  idea  of  their 
structure, "  said  Dr.  Roth.  "  I  have  therefore  arranged 
that  we  shall  go  together  to  Mar  del  Plata,  where  you 
will  see  the  barrancas  and  have  a  chance  with  your 
own  hands  to  collect  some  of  the  characteristic  pam- 
j)can  fossils." 

Accordingly  we  went  to  Buenos  Aires  and  took  our 
places  on  the  night-e.xpress,  which  makes  the  run  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  Mar  del  Plata  in  twelve 
hours.  After  placing  our  luggage  in  charge  of  the 
porter  on  the  sleeping-car,  or  dormitotio,  we  went 
forward  to  the  dining-car,  or  comedor.  Here  a  num- 
ber of  the  higher  officials  of  the  Government  of  the 
Province  were  already  seated  at  table.  They  were 
going  on  a  tour  of  insf)ection  to  examine  some  work  be- 

187 


i88  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

ing  done  for  the  state.  Introductions  took  place.  I 
found  myself  in  very  pleasant  and  intelligent  company 
for  the  rest  of  the  evening.  Let  me  in  passing  observe 
that  I  think  that  those  in  charge  of  the  service  on  the 
dining-cars  in  the  United  States  might  with  advantage 
to  themselves  and  to  the  traveling  public  take  a  few 
lessons  from  the  officials  of  the  Argentine  railways,  or 
from  those  who  control  this  branch  of  the  service  on 
the  "trains  de  luxe"  in  Europe,  whose  methods  are 
strictly  imitated  in  Argentina.  Our  dining-cars  are 
more  commodious  than  those  in  Europe,  the  linen  and 
tableware  are  generally  somewhat  better,  but  the 
viands  are  not  as  well  prepared  and  served.  In  con- 
trast with  the  existing  crudities  in  the  service  of  our 
most  famous  trains  are  the  delightful  and  appetizing 
little  luncheons  and  dinners  which  are  served  on  the 
Cote  d'Or  and  Orient  expresses  in  Europe  and  on 
the  fast  trains  in  Argentina.  The  dinner  served  on 
the  evening  express  between  Buenos  Aires  and  Mar  del 
Plata  was  at  all  events  excellent — in  fact  surprisingly 
good. 

And  now  that  allusion  has  been  made  to  the  table, 
its  pleasures  and  its  pains,  let  it  be  understood  that 
the  rank  and  file  of  the  people  in  Argentina  do  not  sub- 
sist upon  such  fare  as  is  supplied  to  first-class  passengers 
on  the  express  trains  to  Mar  del  Plata,  or  the  Tucuman 
Limited.  The  herdsmen  or  gauchos  on  the  cattle- 
ranges,  the  peons  on  the  great  estancias,  do  not  possess 
the  means  to  have,  nor  do  they  require,  the  services  of 
French  chefs,  any  more  than  do  the  rank  and  file  of  the 
citizens  of  the  United  States.  In  the  shacks  and 
shanties  of  the  cattle-herders  and  the  plowmen  the 
cuisine  is  not  always  such  as  would  call  forth  the 
approval  of  a  connoisseur.     There  is,  however,  plenty 


A  Trip  to  Mar  del  Plata  189 

in  the  land.  The  Argentinos  are  meat-eaters,  hke 
the  Britons  and  hke  the  i)eople  of  the  United  States. 
Meat  is  abundant  and  cheap.  According  to  recent 
statistics  there  are  in  the  country  for  every  man,  woman, 
and  child  four  beeves,  eleven  sheep,  and  one  pig,  not 
to  speak  of  poultry.  The  crops  of  grain  are  heavy. 
In  1878  only  enough  wheat  and  com  was  produced  to 
supply  domestic  necessities.  To-day  Buenos  Aires  is 
one  of  the  greatest  wheat-markets  in  the  world.  Fruits 
and  vegetables  can  be  grown  in  perfection,  but  market - 
gardening,  except  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
larger  municipalities,  has  not  been  hitherto  pursued 
so  extensively  as  will  no  doubt  be  the  case  in  the  future. 
A  great  deal  of  the  fruit  on  sale  in  the  fruit-shops  in 
Buenos  Aires  at  the  time  I  was  there  had  been  imj^orted 
from  Italy,  Portugal,  and  Spain.  There  is  no  good 
reason  for  this.  The  fare  of  the  laboring  classes  in  the 
country  is  simply  prepared,  and  there  is  more  boiling 
than  baking.  One  of  the  favorite  dishes  common  in 
all  Spanish-speaking  lands  is  the  puchero,  consisting 
of  boiled  meat  and  vegetables,  corresponding  to  what 
in  New  England  I  have  heard  called  a  "boiled  dinner." 
It  is  not  half-bad  even  from  the  standjioint  of  a  culinary 
critic.  Beans,  jrijoUs,  as  in  Central  America,  play  an 
important  r61e  in  Argentina,  as  they  do  also  in  Boston. 
Bread  is  baked  as  in  southern  Europe,  and  there  is 
always  more  crust  in  pro}X3rtion  to  the  sponge  in  the  loaf 
than  is  the  case  in  England  or  the  United  States.  This 
is  healthy,  as  it  ought  to  be.  Boiled  Indian  meal, 
good  old-fashioned  "mush,"  or  "hasty  pudding,"  is 
a  standard  dish.  In  the  matter  of  drinks  the  inhabitants 
of  the  states  of  Paraguay,  Uruguay,  and  Argentina  are 
singular  in  their  addiction  to  the  yerhi  male — or  Para- 
guay-tea.     Thr  plant   is  the  Ih'x   f)<ir(ii'toi\ttisis,  a  low 


190 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


growth  indigenous  to  the  tropical  forests  of  the  southern 
half  of  the  continent.  The  young  leaves  and  terminal 
buds  are  collected,  and  when  dried  and  packed  in  bales 
are  extensively  exported  from  the  regions  where  the 
plant  is  common  to  the  southern  parts  of  the  country, 

where  it  does  not  occur.  The 
principal  supply  is  derived  from 
Paragua}-,  northern  Uruguay, 
and  southern  Brazil.  The  primi- 
tive method  of  preparing  the 
infusion  is  to  put  a  few  of  the 
leaves  in  the  bottom  of  a  small 
gourd,  in  which  the  bomhilla  is 
then  placed.  In  its  crudest  form 
the  bombilla  is  a  reed  or  thin 
joint  of  bamboo,  over  the  lower 
end  of  which  a  few  horsehairs 
have  been  woven,  or  a  small  bit 
of  loose  cloth  has  been  tied.  In 
its  more  advanced  and  mechani- 
cally perfect  form  it  is  a  tube 
closed  at  the  lower  end  except 
for  a  number  of  small  perfora- 
tions. Its  latest  development, 
represented  in  the  accompanying 
cut  (Fig.  15),  is  the  product  of 
the  art  of  the  silversmith,  and 
consists  of  a  tube,  which  has  at 
the  bottom  a  spoon-like  expan- 
sion, covered  with  a  little  lid, 
which  is  perforated  by  numerous  small  openings.  The 
bombilla  corresponds  in  its  use  to  the  straws  which  are 
employed  in  the  act  of  imbibing  mint-juleps  and 
similar  drinks.      After   the   bombilla  has  been  placed 


Fig-  15- — Silver -mounted 
and  carved  mate-goxxrd  and 
bombilla.     \  nat.  size. 


A  Trip  to  Mar  cK  1  Plata  191 

in  the  ijuurd,  a  few  iiu>rc  leaves  of  the  lierb  arc  added 
with  a  little  sugar,  and  then  water  which  has  been 
heated  almost  to  the  boilinj,'-point  is  poured  into  the 
gourd,  and  after  a  few  seconds  the  drink  is  ready  to  be 
drawn  up  into  the  mouth  through  the  tube.  From  time 
to  time  as  the  tea  is  exhausted  more  hot  water  may  be 
supplied,  and  the  process  of  imbibition  goes  on.  In 
the  rural  districts  the  drinking  of  mate  is  universal 
among  the  Creoles.  The  gourd  is  passed  from  hand  to 
hand,  and  each  one  who  receives  it  takes  a  draught  from 
the  bombilla,  which  must  not  be  unduly  disturbed,  as 
it  is  thought  that  the  stirring  of  the  mixture  impairs 
its  quality.  The  fear  of  the  deadly  microbe  has  only 
recently  been  implanted  in  the  minds  of  men,  and  has 
not  as  yet  thoroughly  invaded  the  remoter  districts 
of  South  America.  To  those  who  possess  this  whole- 
some horror  the  custom  of  passing  the  bombilla  from 
mouth  to  mouth  does  not  commend  itself.  In  recent 
years  the  preparation  of  Paraguay-tea  for  the  table  to 
be  used  in  the  same  way  as  oriental  tea  has  been  under- 
taken. I  purchased  a  box  of  the  preparation,  which  is 
branded  as  "Mateina,"  and  is  put  up  in  an  enameled 
caddy,  which  has  upon  its  lid  a  rather  gorgeously 
executed  picture  of  several  gentlemen  in  evening-dress 
and  a  number  of  ladies  in  d^collet^  attire  seated  under 
the  glow  of  the  lamplight  about  a  table  holding  or- 
dinary teacups  in  their  hands  or  to  their  lips.  This 
preparation,  which  is  extensively  sold  by  all  grocers  in 
the  larger  cities,  is,  according  to  the  information  sup- 
plied upon  the  caddy,  warranted  to  be  Ilygienico, 
agradable,  y  confortanle.  The  drinking  of  mate  does  not 
obtrude  itself  upon  the  eye  in  Buenos  Aires  and  other 
large  cities,  where  the  population  is  largely  of  foreign 
origin,   but   among   the   inhabitants  of  smaller   towns 


192         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

and  villages,  where  the  foreign  influence  is  not  strong, 
it  is  almost  universal,  and  a  great  deal  of  time  is  reported 
to  be  wasted  in  ma/c-drinking,  which  goes  on  at  all 
hours.  My  friend  J.  B.  Hatcher,  who  spent  a  number 
of  years  in  the  geological  exploration  of  Patagonia,  was 
accustomed  to  speak  in  terms  of  reprobation  of  the 
habit  of  drinking  mate,  as  he  had  observed  it  in  the 
course  of  his  travels  in  the  remoter  districts.  I  have 
tried  the  drink  only  on  one  or  two  occasions,  but  did 
not  find  it  seductive.  The  infusion  is  said  to  be  rich 
in  theine,  in  fact  much  stronger  than  the  tea  of  China 
and  Japan.  It  certainly  tastes  as  if  this  were  the  case. 
I  enjoyed  a  good  rest  after  having  retired  to  my  com- 
partment, but  awoke  very  early,  and  after  dressing 
went  forward  to  the  dining-car,  where  I  obtained  my 
breakfast,  and  was  soon  joined  by  Dr.  Roth.  The 
morning  was  beautifully  clear.  The  train  was  passing 
over  the  pampas.  In  many  places  there  appeared  small 
ponds  and  lakelets.  About  these  there  were  a  great 
many  wild  ducks  of  several  species.  Here  and  there 
I  caught  sight  of  storks  standing  in  the  meadows.  The 
great  maguari  stork  (Euxenura  maguari)  of  South 
America  passes  the  winters  in  the  tropics  of  Brazil 
and  then  migrates  southward  into  Argentina,  just  as 
the  stork  of  Europe  spends  its  winters  in  the  tropics 
of  Africa,  and  migrates  northward  across  the  Mediter- 
ranean in  the  spring  of  the  year.  The  South  American 
stork  has  not  acquired  the  habit  of  building  its  nests 
upon  the  roofs  of  houses,  as  has  its  cousin  of  the  Old 
World.  It  is  a  very  stately  bird,  snow-white  in  color, 
except  for  the  wings  and  upper  tail-coverts,  which  are 
black,  and  the  lores,  the  legs,  and  feet,  which  are  red. 
Their  principal  food  is  mice,  toads,  and  snakes.  Most 
of  those  which  I  saw  did  not  appear  to  pay  any  attention 


A  Trip  to  Mar  ckl  Plata  193 

to  the  passing  train,  but  two,  which  were  quite  near  the 
track,  just  as  we  came  alongside  gave  a  couple  of  quick 
jumps,  flapj)ed  their  wings,  and  then  rose  and  majesti- 
cally soared  away.  I  was  much  interested  to  see  at  one 
place  a  company  of  a  dozen  or  more  white-faced  ibises 
{Plegadis  guaraiina)  wading  about  among  the  aquatic 
grasses  at  the  edge  of  a  lagoon.  This  bird  is  said  to  be 
quite  abundant  upon  the  pampas.  Those  I  saw  seemed 
to  be  intent  upon  feeding,  and  were  stalking  about,  their 
heads  down,  probing  with  their  long  beaks  in  the  mud. 
Hudson  says  of  them : 

Their  flight  i.s  sinj^ularly  graceful ;  and  during:  mij^ation  the 
flocks  are  seen  to  follow  each  other  in  rapid  succession, 
each  flock  being  usually  composed  of  from  fifty  to  a  hundred 
indi\-iduals,  sometimes  of  a  much  larger  number.  It  is 
most  interesting  to  watch  them  at  such  times,  now  soaring 
high  in  the  air,  disj)laying  the  deep  chestnut  hue  of  their 
breasts,  then  descending  with  a  graceful  curve  toward  the 
earth  as  if  to  exhibit  the  dark  metallic  green  and  purple 
reflexions  of  their  upper  plumage.  The  flock  is  meanwhile 
continually  changing  its  form  or  disposition,  as  if  at  the 
signal  of  a  leader.  One  moment  it  spreads  out  in  a  long 
straight  line;  suddenly  the  birds  scatter  in  disorder,  or 
throw  themselves  together  like  a  cloud  of  starlings;  as 
ruddcnly  they  again  reform  to  continue  their  journey  in  the 
figure  of  a  phalanx,  half-moon,  or  triangle.  The  fanciful 
notion  can  scarcely  fail  to  suggest  itself  to  the  spectator 
that  these  birds  go  through  these  unnecessary  evolutions 
intelligently  in  order  to  gain  a  greater  proficiency  in  them 
by  practice,  or,  perhaps,  merely  to  make  a  display  of  their 
atrial  accomplishments.  The  glossy  ibis '  has  another 
remarkable  habit  when  on  the  wing.  At  times  the  flock 
appears  as  if  suddcrJy  seized  with  frenzy  of  panic,  every 
bird  rushing  vv-ildly  away  from  its  fellows,  and  descending 
with  a  \-iolcnt  zigzag  flight:  in  a  few  moments  the  mad  fit 


194  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

leaves  them,  they  rise  again,  reassemble  in  the  air,  and 
resume  their  journey. 

Everywhere  the  "Teru-Teru"  or  spur- winged  lap- 
wing {Belenopterus  cayennensis)  was  to  be  seen.  This 
is  one  of  the  characteristic  birds  of  the  fiatlands.  It 
is  somewhat  larger  than  the  European  lapwing,  the 
"Kibitz"  of  Germany  {Vanellus  cristatus),  with  which 
all  who  have  traveled  in  the  low-countries  are  familiar, 
and  the  eggs  of  which,  marketed  in  London  as  "plovers' 
eggs, "  are  esteemed  a  great  delicacy.  In  its  appearance 
and  carriage  it  closely  resembles  the  European  lap- 
wing, but  the  presence  on  the  shoulder  of  a  spur  at  once 
marks  it  as  being  a  bird,  which,  like  the  screamer,  has 
preserved  in  this  organ  a  trace  of  relationship  to  the 
birds  of  a  former  age.  The  name  "  Teru-Teru,"  like  the 
German  "  Kibitz,"  is  a  name  bestowed  by  the  natives  in 
imitation  of  the  call.  Hudson  says:  "In  size,  beauty, 
and  spirit  it  is  a  king  among  the  plovers. "  It  is  said 
to  be  exceedingly  tenacious  of  the  spot  upon  which 
it  has  made  its  breeding-place  and  range.  It  there 
defends  itself  as  well  as  it  can  against  intrusion  and 
attack,  and  even  when  the  land  is  plowed  up  by  the 
farmer  refuses  to  forsake  it.  There  is  a  great  deal  of 
interesting  information  about  this  bird  embodied  in 
literature,  and  many  curious  tales  are  told  about  it  by 
the  people  of  the  country  who  are  familiar  with  its  ways. 
A  little  while  before  reaching  our  destination  I  was 
pleased  to  observe  a  number  of  rheas  with  rapid  strides 
making  away  over  the  prairie. 

Of  mammalian  life  little  was  to  be  seen.  A  few 
vizcachas  {Lagostomus  trichodactyJus)  scuttled  away 
from  the  side  of  the  track,  their  brown  backs  just  visible 
for  a  moment  and  the  line  of  their  further  flight  marked 


A  Tiij)  lo  M.ir  (K-1   Plai.i  195 

by  the  waviiij^  ot  llic  grasses  among  which  ihcy  swiftly 
made  off.  The  vizcacha  in  its  habits  is  not  unhke  our 
woodchuck,  or  the  prairie-dog  (Arctomys)  of  our  Western 
plains.  It  is,  however,  a  much  hirger  animal,  approxi- 
mating a  large  hare  in  size.  The  eyes  are  lustrous 
and  relatively  very  large.  It  has,  like  our  prairie-dogs, 
the  habit  of  living  in  colonies,  and  digs  deep  burrows  in 
the  ground.  These 
burrows  when  disused  .^gf^  "  -'^«^^ 

,    _,^ -mh' 

by  the  burrowing-owl 
{Speotyto  cunicularia); 
and   I   saw  a  couple  of  ^-^    ,6.-Vizcacha.     /^nat.sizc' 

these  birds  alighting  on 

the  prairies  as  we  went  along. 

We  reached  Mar  del  Plata  early  in  the  morning. 
Scores  of  cabmen  and  long  lines  of  omnibuses  were 
ranged  about  the  entrance  to  the  railway-station. 
Dr.  Roth  selected  a  Jehu,  who  drove  us  to  the  hotel 
of  his  choice,  the  oldest  establishment  of  its  kind  in 
the  place,  covering  a  whole  block.  It  is  only  one 
story  in  height.  There  are  a  great  many  inner  courts 
in  the  middle  of  which  are  planted  palms  and 
flowers.  Surrounding  the  courts  are  tiled  pavements, 
from  which  entrance  is  given  to  the  rooms,  which 
have  tall  ceilings  and  latticed  windows.  The  dining- 
room  is  very  large,  airy,  and  rather  imposingly 
decorated.  There  are  many  other  hotels  in  the 
place,  some  of  which  have  been  built  quite  recently, 
and  all  have  an  air  of  luxury'  and  magnificence 
which  is  consonant  with  the  traditions  of  the  lo- 
cality. Mar  del  Plata  is  in  fact  the  Newport  of 
Argentina.  A  number  of  years  ago  a  few  of  the 
older  and  wealthier  families  of  Buenos  Aires  selected 


196  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

the  spot  as  a  pleasant  place  in  which  to  spend  the  hot 
summer  months  within  reach  of  the  sea-breezes.  There 
is  a  superb  beach,  though  the  undertow  is  said  at  times 
to  be  a  little  dangerous.  The  cliffs,  or  barrancas,  rise 
back  of  the  beach  to  the  height  of  about  sixty  or  seventy 
feet,  and  afford  pleasant  views  over  the  ocean.  Here  the 
first  families  who  resorted  to  the  spot  built  comfortable 
homes  for  themselves.  It  was  not  long,  however,  before 
their  example  became  contagious,  and  all  the  world  came 
to  regard  it  as  "the  correct  thing"  to  possess  a  villa 
at  Mar  del  Plata.  The  front  of  the  cliffs  is  protected 
by  a  low  stone  wall,  back  of  which  is  a  wide  pavement 
for  pedestrians,  and  alongside  of  it  a  broad  driveway, 
which  is  well-paved  and  which  is  at  the  present  time 
being  greatly  extended  toward  the  north.  This  is 
known  as  the  "Rambla, "  and  it  was  to  inspect  the 
manner  in  which  its  construction  was  being  carried  out 
by  the  contractors  that  my  friends,  the  Minister  of 
Public  Works  and  the  Treasurer  of  the  Province,  had 
come  down  upon  the  train. 

Having  settled  in  our  room  at  the  hotel,  Dr.  Roth 
disappeared  and  presently  returned  with  a  stout  bo}^ 
bearing  a  big  basket.  The  boy  had  been  hired  to  act 
as  our  porter,  and  the  basket  was  to  be  used  as  a 
receptacle  for  the  fossils  we  might  collect.  Armed 
with  our  picks  and  attended  by  the  lad  we  left  the 
hotel  and  went  to  the  beach.  Our  walk  led  us  past 
the  bathing-houses,  of  which  there  are  many  just 
at  the  foot  of  the  cliffs,  raised  on  high  piles  above 
the  level  of  the  flood-tide.  It  was  the  time  of  ebb,  and 
the  beach  was  exposed  for  miles  to  the  north.  There 
was  a  fine  swell  on  the  sea,  and  the  rollers  were  coming 
in  grandly  and  breaking  upon  the  sand,  their  foaming 
crests  being  cut  off  by  the  stiff  breeze  which  was  blow- 


A  Trij)  to  Mar  del  IMaUi  197 

in^  from  off  shore.  We  walked  a  short  distanee  beyond 
the  bath-houses,  and  then  began  a  minute  and  careful 
examination  of  the  surface  of  the  barrancas,  which  gave 
evidence  of  having  been  deeply  worn  and  cut  by  the 
waves  during  the  past  winter.  The  exposures  of  the 
strata  at  this  point  represent  the  Upper  and  Middle 
Pampean  beds,  as  they  have  been  called  by  Roth.  The 
Upper  beds  are  light  in  color,  having  a  yellowish 
gray  tint  of  varying  shades  of  intensity;  the  Middle 
beds  are  dark  chocolate-brown.  The  Lower  Pampean 
beds,  which  are  said  to  be  red,  arc  not  exposed  to  view 
at  Mar  del  Plata,  and  Dr.  Roth  told  me  that  to  see  them 
it  would  be  necessary  to  take  a  journey  some  twent}- 
five  miles  to  the  south,  for  which  unfortunately  we  did 
not  have  the  time.  The  material  of  which  the  Pampean 
beds  are  composed  is  known  by  geologists  as  loess. 
Loess  is  fine  alluvium,  which  gives  little  evidence  of 
horizontal  stratification,  and  which  is  therefore  re- 
garded by  most  authorities  as  having  been  to  a  very 
considerable  extent  deposited  by  aerial  agencies.  The 
fine  dust  originally  brought  down  by  the  streams  was 
distributed  by  the  winds,  and  the  plants  growing  over 
the  region  held  the  mass  in  jilace,  and  as  the  deposit 
grew  thicker,  continued  to  hold  it.  Loess  is  ever>'where 
characterized  by  the  presence  of  perforations  more  or 
less  p>erpcndicular,  these  holes  marking  the  place  of 
grass-roots  and  the  stems  of  plants  which  long  ago  died 
and  vanished,  leaving  their  molds  in  the  fine  material. 
Into  the  openings  thus  left  after  a  while  limy  and 
silicious  deposits  were  often  carried  by  the  water  as  the 
rains  percolated  through  the  soil.  At  Mar  del  Plata 
the  loess  is  everywhere  full  of  limy  concretions,  to 
which  the  people  of  Argentina  have  given  the  name  of 
tosca.     WTien    these   concretions   occur   in    the   sni!    .>f 


198  To  the  River  Plate  and  Baek 

the  pampas  the  estancieros  are  in  the  habit  of  saying 
that  the  land  is  not  good,  and  it  is  said  in  praise  of  a 
tract  offered  for  sale  that  it  is  sin  tosca,  free  from  con- 
cretionary beds.  To  some  extent  this  lime  is  no  doubt 
due  in  its  origin  to  the  solution  and  redeposition  of 
particles  of  the  fine  alluvium  derived  from  the  erosion 
of  limestone  rocks;  to  some  extent  it  is  also  no  doubt 
due  to  the  gradual  solution  and  redeposition  of  the  lime 
from  shells,  bones,  and  other  organic  remains,  which 
were  left  upon  the  surface  as  generation  after  generation 
of  living  things  laid  down  and  died.  In  Switzerland 
the  small  concretions  in  the  loess  are  known  by  the 
peasants  as  "  Loess-kindl " — loess-babies — because  of 
their  curious  forms,  sometimes  suggesting  those  of 
human  beings.  In  the  Mississippi  Valley  in  places 
there  are  considerable  deposits  of  loess,  and  the  concre- 
tions found  in  them  are  often  spoken  of  as  "fossil 
potatoes"  because  of  their  resemblance  to  the  tubers. 
The  pampas  are  overlaid  by  loess,  and,  except  along 
some  of  the  great  rivers  of  China,  there  is  no  such 
extensive  deposit  of  loess  anywhere  else  in  the  world. 
The  thickness  of  the  loess  in  Argentina  is  very  remark- 
able. It  varies  of  course,  but  Dr.  Roth  tells  me  borings 
show  that  in  some  places  it  is  many  hundreds  of  feet  in 
depth.  The  time  necessary  for  the  slow  deposition  of 
such  beds  by  eolian  agencies  must  have  been  very 
great.  Dr.  Roth  is  of  the  opinion  that  all  periods  of  the 
Tertiary  may  be  represented  in  these  beds  from  the 
Eocene  up  to  the  latest  Pleistocene,  and  in  fact  that 
they  have  been  in  process  of  formation  in  South  America 
from  the  dawn  of  mammalian  life  to  the  present  time. 
I  am  not  prepared  to  either  affirm  or  deny  this  view. 
The  observations  made  in  a  day  or  two  do  not  sufBce 
to  enable  any  man  to  reach  conclusions  upon  such  a 


A  Trip  to  Mar  del  I'lata  199 

subjecl.  There  was  nolhing,  however,  in  ihe  Upper 
and  Middle  Pampean  as  displayed  in  cross-sections  at 
Mar  del  Plata  which  would  lead  me  to  think  of  the 
deposits  as  possessing  the  relatively  great  antiquity 
which  would  be  implied  in  the  reference  of  these  beds 
to  the  Eocene,  or  even  to  the  Miocene.  I  saw  nothing 
which  would  incline  me  to  believe  these  beds  to  be  of 
earlier  age  than  the  Pleistocene,  or  possibly  the  late 
Pliocene. 

After  having  taken  a  look  at  the  formation,  as  it 
first  presented  itself  to  view,  we  set  about  searching  for 
fossils.  The  Doctor  presently  called  to  me,  and  pointed 
out  one  of  the  scutes,  or  thick  bony  plates,  which  had 
once  been  a  part  of  the  armor  of  a  Glyptodon,  which  was 
embedded  in  the  matri.x.  It  only  took  a  minute  to 
secure  the  specimen.  Presently  we  found  a  place  where 
some  ribs  of  a  Megatherium  were  protruding  from  the 
surface  of  the  cliff.  We  dug  these  out.  Then  we  found 
some  fragmentary'  remains  of  a  Mylodon.  The  lower 
jaw  of  a  small  rodent,  beautifully  preserved,  was  the 
next  discovery.  A  little  farther  on  I  found  a  well-pre- 
served shoulder-blade  of  Paleolama,  an  animal  which 
was  related  to  the  guanaco.  While  I  was  finishing  the 
task  of  cutting  this  bone  out  of  the  matrix,  my  com- 
I)anion  called  to  me  excitedly  and  beckoned  me  to  come 
to  him.  When  I  arrived  at  the  spot  he  j)ointed  to  a 
piece  of  what  evidently  was  a  ix)tsherd  projecting 
from  the  dark  chocolate-colored  mass  of  the  matrix 
in  which  it  was  imbedded.  "This  is  worth  all  the  cost 
of  this  excursion!"  he  said.  "I  have  not' touched  the 
thing.  Look  at  it  attentively.  Tell  me,  has  that  thing 
become  recently  imbedded  where  it  is,  or  is  it  where  it 
has  Ix^n  for  ages,  until  the  waves  ate  their  way  into  its 
resting-place.-*"     I  knelt  down  and  critically  examined 


200         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

the  object.  "I  am  able  unqualifiedly  to  affirm  that 
this  piece  of  pottery,  for  such  it  appears  to  me  to  be, 
is  imbedded  in  the  matrix,  and  has  not  been  disturbed 
by  the  hands  of  man . "  "  Good ! ' '  replied  my  companion , 
"I  am  glad  to  have  had  you  with  me,  and  to  have  had 


Fig.  17 — Mylodon  rohustus  Owen.     2^  nat.  size.      (After  Owen.) 

you  see  the  thing  in  situ.  Years  ago  I  was  digging  up 
the  bones  of  a  Scelidotherium,  and,  as  I  was  doing  so,  I 
came  upon  a  flint  arrowhead  buried  in  the  soil  along- 
side of  the  bones.  I  took  the  flint  with  the  bones  to 
Burmeister,  who  was  then  the  Director  of  the  Museum 
at  Buenos  Aires,  and  under  whom  I  was  working.     I 


A  Tri|>  U)  Mar  del  IMaUi  201 

explained  to  him  how  and  where  I  had  found  the  things. 
He  was  quite  incredulous,  and  maintained  that  in  some 
way  or  other  I  had  fallen  into  error.  What  became  of 
the  flint  I  do  not  know.  It  has  disapjieared,  and  al- 
though I  have  had  a  careful  search  made  in  the  Museum 
and  have  endeavored  in  every  way  to  trace  it,  it  can- 
not now  be  found.  Several  times  before,  in  this  very 
neighborhood,  I  have  found  bits  of  pottery  imbedded 
in  the  Middle  Pampean  beds.  People  are  incredulous. 
They  do  not  absolutely  contradict,  but  they  shake  their 
heads.  Now  you  are  with  me,  a  witness  to  the  fact 
that  this  bit  of  a  human  artefact  is  a  part  of  the  soil 
from  which  we  have  been  digging  up  to-day  the  remains 
of  these  extinct  old  animals.  Take  it  u})  carefully. 
Take  it  to  the  Carnegie  Museum.  Preserve  it,  as  a 
proof  that  at  the  time  when  the  strange  Pampean 
fauna  existed  in  this  land,  man  also  existed  here." 
I  took  my  pick  and  beginning  far  back  I  endeavored 
to  cut  out  a  block  of  the  loess  with  the  potsherd  still 
embedded  in  it,  as  we  had  found  it.  I  had  cut  away 
on  the  four  sides  until  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  might  now 
venture  to  under-cut  and  bring  the  block  away,  but 
just  as  I  was  at  the  end  of  my  task,  the  friable  material 
yielded,  and  broke,  and  unfortunately  the  potsherd  fell 
out  of  its  place,  the  main  crack  having  run  through  the 
spot  where  it  was  lodged.  I  saved  the  pieces  and  the 
sherd,  anathematizing  my  misfortune  in  not  having 
had  with  me  a  solution  of  shellac  with  which  to  have 
first  soaked  the  mass,  so  that  it  would  T\ot  have  fallen 
apart.  But  the  fact  is  incontestable  that  the  piece  of 
baked  clay,  evidently  a  bit  of  a  broken  earthen  vessel, 
was  found  undisturbed  in  the  lower  part  of  the  Middle 
Pampean.  only  a  short  distance  from  places  where  we 
had  found  the  remains  of  Mylodon  and  Megatherium. 


202  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

The  reader  may  wonder  why  I  go  thus  minutely  into 
these  details.  But  if  he  will  reflect  for  a  moment  he 
will  realize  what  great  interest  attaches  to  such  a  dis- 
covery. The  presence  of  this  bit  of  pottery  in  this 
deposit  can  lead  to  only  one  or  the  other  of  two  con- 
clusions, either  that  these  beds  are  comparatively 
modern  from  the  standpoint  of  the  geologist,  or  that 
man  must  have  existed  at  a  very  remote  period  in 
South  America.  If  the  beds  are  modem  then  the  great 
ground-sloths,  and  their  huge  armadillo-like  contempo- 
raries, have  only  recently  become  extinct,  and  must 
have  been  coeval  with  man  as  was  the  mammoth  in 
Europe.  If  the  beds  are  not  modern,  but  ancient,  then 
the  antiquity  of  the  human  race  is  carried  far  back  into 
the  past.  That  bit  of  a  broken  pot  found  embedded 
in  the  loess  thirty  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  soil 
as  it  is  to-day,  has  a  story  to  tell,  and  awakens  a  whole 
world  of  inquiries.  For  my  part  I  believe  that  the 
Middle  Pampean  is  a  Pleistocene  formation,  from  a 
geological  standpoint  comparatively  modern,  possibly 
laid  down  not  more  than  fift}^  thousand  years  ago,  and 
that  man  was  the  contemporary  of  many  of  the  strange 
animals  which  tenanted  South  America  at  that  time. 

Until  noon  we  wandered  along  the  barrancas,  here 
and  there  finding  bits  of  bone,  each  having  a  story  to 
tell  of  the  life  of  the  past.  At  last  we  concluded  that 
the  time  had  come  for  us  to  return  to  the  hotel  and 
get  our  luncheon.  No  matter  how  interesting  fossil 
bones  may  be,  there  come  moments  in  the  experience 
of  the  most  ardent  paleontologist  when  he  feels  that  he 
would  prefer  bones  with  a  little  muscular  tissue  and 
fat  still  adherent  to  them.  After  luncheon  my  com- 
panion, according  to  the  custom  of  the  country,  indulged 
in  a  siesta.     Not  being  accustomed  to  taking  a  nap  after 


A  Trip  to  Mar  del  IMaUi  20^^ 

my  midday  meal,  I  told  him  that  I  would  return  to  the 
Ix'ach  and  that  he  would  find  me  there  later.  I  amused 
myself  by  collecting  insects,  which  I  found  abundant 
alon^  the  beach  under  piles  of  half-dried  seaweed, 
among  them  one  or  two  beautiful  carabid  beetles,  over 
which  since  my  return  one  of  my  assistants  has  gloated, 


..<orT«i.N 


Fig.  18. — Daedicurus  cluxicaudatus  Owen.     «'«  nat.  size. 

because  they  represent  a  species  hitherto  unknown  to 
him,  and  said  to  be  still  very  rare  in  collections.  I 
beguiled  myself  with  making  one  or  two  water-color 
sketches,  and  then,  being  rejoined  by  Dr.  Roth,  we 
pushed  up  along  the  cliffs  to  points  which  we  had  not 
examined  during  our  rambles  in  the  forenoon.  We  were 
again  repaid  by  finding  a  number  of  fossils,  among  them 
part  of  an  antler  of  an  e.xtinct  deer,  which  I  had  a  great 
deal  of  trouble  in  cutting  out  of  the  matrix,  which  was 
almost  as  hard  as  rock.  Bits  of  the  cuirass  of  Glyi)todon 
and  of  Dcedicurus  were  found,  together  with  one  of  the 
spike-like  bony  plates  with  which  the  end  of  the  tail  of 
the  latter  enormous  animal  was  armed.  The  Dcedi- 
curus had  a  Ixxly  as  large  as  that  of  an  ox.  He  Wonged, 
like  the  Glyptodon,  to  that  great  group  of  anitu  <1^  iu>w 


204  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

mostly  extinct,  which  is  represented  in  part  by  the 
armadillos  of  the  present  day.  The  great  bony  cara- 
paces of  Glyptodon,  Doedicurus,  and  their  allies  are  not 
altogether  uncommon  in  the  Pampean  beds,  and  my 
friend  Hatcher  used  to  tell  how  at  the  house  of  a 
gaucho,  with  whom  he  once  stayed  overnight,  one  of 
these  fossils  had  been  utilized  as  a  bathtub,  in  which 
Hatcher  himself  had  the  pleasure  of  "  taking  a  swim. " 
Talk  about  luxury! 

Our  long  walk  had  taken  us  far  from  Mar  del  Plata, 
and,  as  the  tide  had  turned,  and  the  sea  was  rolling  in 
upon  the  beach,  we  climbed  up  to  the  top  of  the  cliffs 
and  walked  home  in  the  sunset.  Below  us,  where  a 
few  hours  before  we  had  strolled  along  upon  the  sand, 
great  breakers  were  casting  up  their  foam  along  the 
foot  of  the  cliffs,  with  a  roar  which  was  majestic.  As 
the  night  was  falling,  we  reached  the  hotel,  very  tired 
and  a  little  footsore;  and  were  glad  to  bathe  and  dine 
in  comfort.  At  half-past  nine  we  again  boarded  the 
train  for  Buenos  Aires,  and  on  the  following  morning 
arrived  in  safety  at  La  Plata. 

My  inspection  of  the  fossil-bearing  strata  heightened 
the  interest  with  which  day  after  day  I  had  been  regard- 
ing the  noble  collection  of  extinct  animals  in  the 
Museum.  The  former  mammalian  fauna  of  South 
America,  especially  that  portion  of  it  represented  in  the 
early  Tertiary  formations,  is  very  remarkable,  and  dur- 
ing the  past  three  quarters  of  a  century  has  become 
the  subject  of  ever  deepening  interest  to  paleontologists. 
It  is  so  entirely  unlike  that  which  occurs  in  other  parts 
of  the  world  as  to  prove  beyond  doubt  that  it  repre- 
sents an  evolution  v/hich  must  have  taken  place  in 
geographical  isolation  from  all  other  regions,  except 
possibly  the  ancient  Antarctic  continent,  through  which 


A    rrij)  to  Mcir  del  Thita  205 

there  may  have  lx>eii  a  conncetiDii  with  Austraha. 
The  tact  that  fossil  marsupial  animals  are  very  numer- 
ous in  these  early  strata,  and  further  the  fact  that  there 
are  still  comparatively  numerous  marsupial  animals 
living  in  South  America,  supports  the  view  that  South 
America  may  in  the  distant  past  have  been  in  some  way 
connected  with  the  Australian  regions,  which  are,  as 
everybody  knows,  the  present  metropolis  of  the  mar- 
supials. There  may  also  have  been  a  time,  when,  for 
a  longer  or  shorter  period,  the  southern  extremity  of 
Africa  was  also  linlied  to  that  old  Antarctic  continent. 
The  fact  that  certain  families  of  shells,  insects,  fishes, 
birds,  and  mammals  occur  in  regions  now  separated 
from  each  other  by  \\'ide  seas,  is  regarded  by  students 
as  showing  the  probability  that  these  regions  were  once 
more  closely  connected  with  each  other  than  they  now 
are.  A  multitude  of  facts  in  the  geographical  distribu- 
tion of  living  things,  which  it  would  require  a  volume 
to  recite,  tends  to  confirm  the  opinion,  now  almost 
universally  accepted  by  naturalists,  that  the  land- 
masses  about  the  South  Pole  once  had  a  much  greater 
northward  extension  than  is  the  case  to-day,  and  that 
Australia  and  the  southern  extremities  of  South  Amer- 
ica and  of  Africa  may  have  been  connected  at  times  with 
Antarctica,  and  thus  with  each  other.  At  the  times 
when  these  parts  of  the  earth  were  being  populated  by 
living  things,  these  regions  were  completely  isolated 
from  the  lands  in  the  northern  hemisphere.  The 
great  land-mass  forming  Europe  and  Asia  (the  Eurasian 
continent)  was  at  diflFerent  times  connected  \%nth  North 
America.  There  is  cver>'  reason  to  believe  that  North 
America  and  eastern  Asia  were  once  united  with  each 
other  by  a  land-bridge,  which  was  located  in  the  region 
of  Bering  Sea.  and  that  animals  freely  migrated  from 


2o6  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

North  America  into  Asia  and  from  Asia  into  North 
America.  While  this  was  going  on  the  two  Americas 
had  no  connection  with  each  other  at  all.  Subsequently, 
however,  a  connection  between  North  and  South 
America  was  established.  This  union  of  the  two  western 
continents  appears  to  have  taken  place  long  after  a 
connection  between  South  America  and  the  Antarctic 
continent  had  ceased  to  exist.  When  North  and  South 
America  became  united  there  took  place  an  invasion 
of  South  America  by  animals  from  North  America 
and  a  return  wave  of  emigration  from  South  America 
into  North  America  swept  upward.  From  North 
America  there  passed  into  South  America  the  camel- 
like animals,  which  had  come  into  being  on  the  plains 
of  what  are  now  the  regions  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
The  peccaries,  the  deer,  the  cats,  the  tapirs,  emigrated 
from  North  America,  as  did  also  the  mastodon,  the 
latter  animal  representing  an  invasion  from  far-away 
Asia  by  way  of  the  Bering  Sea  land-bridge.  From 
South  America  there  traveled  northward  the  ground- 
sloths,  the  opossums,  the  armadillos,  the  toxodonts, 
and  other  creatures  which  had  their  origin  upon  South 
American  soil.  These  reciprocal  movements  probably 
did  not  take  place  much  before  the  close  of  the  Pliocene, 
and  during  the  early  Pleistocene.  In  caves  in  Pennsyl- 
vania we  have  quite  recently  found  the  remains  of  a 
number  of  animals,  the  nearest  relatives  of  which  occur 
in  the  Pampean  beds  of  Argentina. 

Certain  of  the  friends  of  the  writer  have  rather  strenu- 
ously advocated  the  view  that  the  continent  of  South 
America  was  at  one  time  linked  to  the  continent  of 
Africa  by  a  land-bridge  which  reached  across  the 
Atlantic  Ocean  from  eastern  and  northern  Brazil  to 
the  nearest  point  of  the  African  continent.     This  view 


A  T^rij)  to  Mar  iK  1   Plata  207 

has  lx.*cn  conin>\  II  led,  and  while  iht*  existence  of  such 
a  land  connection  might  account  for  certain  facts  in 
the  distribution  of  animals,  and  more  particularly  of  the 
fishes  of  the  two  continents,  the  writer  is  very  skeptical, 
and  is  more  inclined  to  believe  that  the  occurrence  of 
related  genera  and  species  in  Africa  and  South  America 
will  prove  ultimately  to  have  arisen  through  the  land 
connection  effected  by  union  with  the  Antarctic  con- 
tinent, of  which  mention  has  been  made. 

Sir  Richard  Owen  was  one  of  the  first  to  name  and 
describe  some  of  the  more  striking  fossil  mammals  the 
remains  of  which  have  been  recovered  in  the  Pami)ean 
beds.  The  material  obtained  by  Darwin  on  his  famous 
voyage  in  II.  M.  S.  Beagle  was  submitted  to  Owen 
for  study.  Since  that  time  a  multitude  of  very  able 
men  have  devoted  a  great  deal  of  time  to  a  careful 
examination  of  the  fossil  fauna  of  South  America,  and 
thus  our  knowledge  has  been  greatly  enlarged.  Dr. 
Burmeister,  who  was  the  Director  of  the  Museum  in 
Buenos  Aires  for  many  years,  accomplished  much.  A 
number  of  years  ago  Senor  Florentine  Ameghino,  and 
his  brother,  Carlos  Ameghino,  began  diligently  to  collect 
fossil  remains  which  they  encountered  in  various  parts 
of  Argentina,  and  more  particularly  in  Patagonia. 
Florentino  Ameghino  began  to  describe  them,  and  sub- 
sequently gave  to  the  world  descriptions  of  an  enormous 
number  of  new  genera  and  sjx'cies,  attributing  to  the 
strata  in  which  they  were  found  various  geological 
ages,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  provoke  the  astonishment 
of  students  in  other  parts  of  the  world.  Princeton 
University  was  enabled  through  the  generosity  of 
certain  friends  to  send  several  expeditions  to  South 
America.  Two  of  these  were  conducted  by  Mr.  John 
Bell  Hatcher.     Other  expeditions  by  other  institutions 


208 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


have  gone  out,  and  numerous  eminent  paleontologists 
have  personally  visited  the  region.  Meanwhile  those 
upon  the  ground  have  continued  to  explore  it.  The 
result  has  been  a  great  access  of  information  which 
tends  to  prove  that  Ameghino  was  not  always  quite 
correct  in  his  interpretations,  though  he  deserves  the 


Fig.  19. — Macrauchenia  patachonica  Owen.     J^  nat.  size. 

very  highest  praise  for  his  diligence  and  for  many  noble 
discoveries.  I  had  the  great  pleasure  while  in  La  Plata 
of  visiting  Seiior  Carlos  Ameghino,  who  survives  his 
brother,  and  of  seeing  the  collections  which  have  been 
accumtdated  and  which  contain  many  of  the  types  of 
the  species  described  by  Florentino  Ameghino.  While 
of  the  highest  scientific  interest,  this  assemblage  of 
material  does  not  contain  nearly  as  many  finely  pre- 
served specimens  of  the  fossils  of  the  pampas  as  are 
found  in  the  National  Museum  at  La  Plata,  or  in  the 
Museum   in   Buenos  Aires,    where  are   the  collections 


A   Trij)  to  Mar  <kl  IMata 


209 


brought  together  during  the  time  in  which  those 
eminent  scholars,  Dr.  Burmeister  and  Dr.  Carlos  Berg, 
were  the  directors  of  that  museum.  The  mounted 
skeletons  of  the  great  armadillo-like  mammals  of  the 
Pampean  beds,  of  the  huge  ground-sloths,  of  Toxodon, 
Macrauchenia,  and  other  beasts,  which  once  inhabited 


I 


Fig.  20. — Skeleton  of  Toxodon  burmeistrri  Giebel.     <*b  nat.  size. 

Argentina,  constitute  a  ver>'  imposing  display  as  they 
are  e.xhibited  in  the  halls  at  La  Plata.  One  of  the  most 
interesting  of  these  creatures  was  the  Macrauchenia,  an 
animal  which  combined  in  itself  many  curious  anatomi- 
cal features,  not  to  say  inconsistencies.  I  was  particu- 
larly interested  in  examining  the  collection  of  the 
remains  of  various  species  of  Toxodon.  On  the  out- 
ward voyage  a  young  American  man  of  science,  who  is 
in  the  employment  of  the  Brazilian  government,  came 
on  board  at  Bahia,  being  on  his  way  to  Rio  de  Janeiro. 
We  struck  up  an  acquaintance,  and  he  reported  to  me 
that  he  had  found  in  the  interior  of  the  Province  of 
Bahia  a  large  quantity  of  the  fossil  remains  of  a  number 
of  extinct  animals.  They  had  been  dug  up  at  a  water- 
hole,  which  was  being  cleaned  out  by  workmen,  and  he 


210  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

told  me  he  had  some  of  them  with  him  on  board.  They 
were  produced  by  him,  and  very  kindly  presented  by 
him  to  me.  Since  then  he  has  forwarded  to  the  Car- 
negie Museum  a  large  assemblage  of  the  remains  ob- 
tained at  the  same  locality.  Among  the  things  put 
into  my  hands  on  shipboard  was  a  fragment  of  the  tusk 
of  a  mastodon,  the  tooth  of  a  fossil  horse,  and  the  tooth 
of  a  Toxodon.  Availing  myself  of  the  courteous  assist- 
ance of  Dr.  Roth  a  comparison  of  the  latter  specimen 
was  made  with  the  abundant  material  in  the  Museum 
at  La  Plata,  with  the  result  that  we  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  tooth  belongs  to  Toxodon  burmeisteri, 
the  giant  of  the  family.  The  late  Professor  E.  D.  Cope 
founded  a  species  of  Toxodon  upon  a  single  tooth  com- 
ing from  the  Province  of  Bahia,  the  only  case  in  which 
such  animals  have  hitherto  been  reported  from  that  part 
of  the  continent,  but  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that 
the  specimen  presented  to  me  by  Mr.  G.  A.  Waring  repre- 
sents the  species  I  have  mentioned.  The  range  of  this 
huge  animal  is  thus  extended  far  to  the  north.  Re- 
mains of  Toxodon  have  been  reported  from  Central 
America,  but  thus  far  no  record  of  their  occurrence  upon 
the  soil  of  the  United  States  has  been  made,  and  save 
for  the  case  cited  by  Cope  there  has  been  no  prior 
account  of  their  occurrence  in  northern  Brazil. 

From  the  authorities  of  the  Museum  in  La  Plata  I 
received  replicas  of  many  of  the  fine  specimens  con- 
tained in  their  Museum  as  a  gift  for  the  Carnegie 
Institute.  I  also  received  a  piece  of  the  skin,  some  hair, 
and  some  of  the  ordure  of  Grypotherium  obtained  at 
Last  Hope  Inlet.  "Thereby  hangs  a  tale,"  which  I 
will  proceed  to  unfold  in  the  next  chapter.  For  these 
acts  of  great  kindness  on  the  part  of  the  Faculty  of  the 
Museum  in  La  Plata,  I  desire  here  to  renew  my  thanks. 


mu 


f 


Hauling  Wheat  to  the  Market  in  Big  Two-Wheeled  Carts.     Seven  Horses 
Harnessed  Abreast. 


The  Grain-Elevators  at  Buenos  Aires 


4 


CHAPTER    XV 

A    MVSTKRIOUS    BEAST 

"Then  Brown  he  read  a  paper,  and  hi-  reconstructed  there, 
From  those  same  bones  an  luiimal,  that  was  extremely  rare." 

Bret  Hartf. 

FOR  many  years  it  had  been  rumored  in  Argentina 
ihat  there  existed  in  the  unexplored  \nlds  a  strange 
animal,  to  which  the  Indians  gave  the  name  of  Yemtsch. 
It  was  said  to  haunt  the  margins  of  streams,  to  have 
webbed  feet,  a  long  tail,  and  to  be  endowed  with  incred- 
ible ferocity.  It  was  reported  to  attack  men  and  cattle 
when  they  were  crossing  streams.  It  had,  so  it  was 
affirmed,  the  habit  of  eviscerating  its  prey,  and  the 
narrators  told  how  after  the  fearful  act  the  entrails  of 
its  victims  might  be  seen  rising  from  the  bloody  water 
and  floating  on  the  surface.  Certain  spots  were  j)<:)inted 
out  as  being  dangerous,  because  the  brute  was  said  to 
have  its  lair  in  their  neighborhood,  and  these  places 
were  shunned  by  the  natives.  Nobody  cx)uld  be  found 
who  had  ever  seen  it,  but  many  averred  that  they  had 
heard  of  it  from  those  who  had  seen  it.  The  eye- 
witnesses of  its  atrocities  were  Indians,  or  deceased 
wives'  uncles,  or  maternal  grandparents — "the  dear 
departed."  Nobody  had  ever  succeeded  in  rimning 
the  beast  to  cover,  or  in  the  spirit  of  a  modem  Hercules 
slain  it  in  combat ;  but  by  camp  fires,  at  the  meetings 
of  sportsmen  in  their  clubs,  and  in  the  homes  of  the 

311 


212  To  the  River  Plate  and  Hack 

guachos,  as  thc}'^  sat  and  guzzled  mate,  or  smoked  the 
weed,  men  talked  about  the  Yemisch. 

In  the  month  of  January,  1895,  a  party  of  gentlemen 
who  were  taking  an  outing  near  Consuelo  Cove  on  Last 
Hope  Inlet  discovered  a  cave  about  six  kilometers 
distant  from  Consuelo.  In  a  little  mound  near  the 
entrance  they  found  a  remarkable  piece  of  skin.  It 
was  between  four  and  five  feet  long  and  about  three 
feet  wide.  The  skin  of  the  head  and  legs  of  the  animal 
had  apparently  been  trimmed  off.  The  hide  in  places 
was  over  half  an  inch  thick.  Its  outer  surface  was 
covered  more  or  less  densely  with  coarse  yellowish 
brown  hairs,  var3nng  in  length  from  an  inch  and  a  half 
to  three  inches.  On  the  inner  side  were  multitudes  of 
little  ossicles,  or  bonelets,  firmly  imbedded  in  the  tissue. 
These  bonelets  had  the  size  and  shape  of  small  white 
beans,  some  being  larger,  others  smaller.  The  excur- 
sionists took  the  skin  away  with  them,  but  though  a 
number  of  pieces  were  cut  off  from  it,  and  became  scat- 
tered among  different  members  of  the  party,  the  greater 
portion  remained  in  the  possession  of  Captain  Eber- 
hard,  the  owner  of  an  estate  in  the  vicinity,  who  had 
been  the  leader  of  the  company.  The  next  year  Dr. 
Otto  Nordenskjold,  the  commander  of  a  Swedish  expedi- 
tion, which  had  gone  out  for  the  purpose  of  making  a 
scientific  exploration  of  the  regions  about  the  Straits 
of  Magellan,  visited  the  cave,  and  he  too  found  a  piece 
of  the  same  kind  of  skin,  some  bones,  and  tufts  of  hair, 
which  he  took  home  with  him  to  Stockholm.  These 
things  were  subsequently  described  and  figured  by 
Dr.  Lonnberg  in  the  second  volume  of  the  report 
which  was  published  by  the  Swedish  Expedition.  In 
November,  1897,  Dr.  F.  P.  Moreno,  the  Director  of  the 
Museum  in  La  Plata,  Dr.  Racowitza,  the  Zoologist  of 


A  M\slcn()ii^  licast 


213 


the  Exj^editioii  which  liad  come  oul  in  the  S.S.  Bel- 
gica,  Senor  Don  Luis  A.  Alvarez,  an  engineer,  and 
Dr.  Rodolfo  Hauthal,  the  Curator  of  the  Section  of 
Geology  in  the  Museum  in  La  Plata,  visited  the  region, 
and  Dr.  Moreno  succeeded  in  obtaining  from  Ca{)tain 
Eberhard  the  large  piece  of  the  liidc,  which  the  latter 


^==V 


V-       -  ^^: 


a 


^u 


^ 


'^ 


Pig.  21 — Skin   of  Grypotherium   domesttcum  Roth,  a,   Under   side 

of  skin  from  a  fragment  in   the  Carnegie   Museum,  b.   Section    of 

skin  showing  ossicles  and  outer  hairs.  J  nat.  size.  (After  Arthur 
Smith  Woodward.) 

Still  retained  in  his  possession.  This  specimen  together 
with  other  remains,  evidently  belonging  \o  the  same 
species,  was  taken  by  Dr.  Moreno  to  London,  and  by 
him  presented  to  the  British  Museum.  In  the  year 
1899  these  things  were  made  the  subject  of  an  address 
delivered  by  Dr.  Moreno  before  the  Zoological  Society 
of  London,  which   in   their  Proceedings  for  that  year 


214         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

published  a  fully  illustrated  account  of  the  various  ob- 
jects thus  far  found  in  the  cave,  the  paper  having  been 
prepared  by  Dr.  Arthur  Smith  Woodward  in  collabora- 
tion with  Dr.  Moreno.  Dr.  Woodward  referred  the 
specimens  to  the  genus  Grypothermm,  originally  set  up 
by  Reinhardt  in  1879  in  the  twelfth  volume  of  the 
Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Danish  Academy  of  Scie?ices, 
for  the  reception  of  some  fragments,  which  had  been 
discovered  in  another  locality.  The  relationship  of 
Grypotherium  to  Mylodon  and  the  other  long  extinct 
gravigrade  edentates  of  South  America  was  pointed  out 
and  explained. 

But  before  the  appearance  of  Dr.  Woodward's 
scholarly  paper,  the  reading  public  not  only  of  Argentina 
but  of  the  entire  world  had  been  regaled  with  a  series 
of  sensational  accounts,  affirming  that  in  the  remote 
regions  of  Argentina  or  southern  Chili  there  still  existed 
a  surviving  representative  of  the  family  of  the  ground- 
sloths,  of  which  the  colossal  Megatherium  is  the  species 
best  known  to  the  public.  The  animal  said  to  be 
roaming  in  the  wilds  was  identified  with  the  Yemisch,  of 
which  everybody  in  Argentina  had  heard  at  some  time 
or  other.  The  authority  for  these  tales  was  none  other 
than  Seiior  Florentino  Ameghino.  He  set  the  ball 
rolling  by  privately  printing  and  circulating  a  paper 
under  date  of  August  2,  1898,  entitled  "  Premiere  Notice 
sur  le  Neomylodon  listai,  un  Representant  vivant  des 
anciens  Edentes  Gravigrades  fossiles  de  1' Argentina/' 
In  November  of  the  same  year  this  article  appeared  in 
the  form  of  an  English  translation,  which  was  published 
in  Natural  Science,  volume  xiii.,  pp.  324-326.  In 
this  paper  Ameghino  recounts  that  a  deceased  friend  of 
his,  the  late  Ramon  Lista,  had  once  told  him  that  he 
had  come  across  an  animal,  which  he  had  failed  to  get. 


A  Mysterious  Beast  215 

though  he  had  shot  al  it  a  couple  of  times,  which  re- 
sembled a  pangolin,  except  that  instead  of  being  covered 
with  scales  it  was  covered  with  hair.  Lista  had 
expressed  the  opinion  that,  "if  not  a  pangolin,  it  was 
certainly  an  edentate  nearly  allied  to  it."  Ameghino 
then  went  on  to  say: 

In  spile  of  the  authority  of  Lista,  who,  besides  bcinp  a 
learned  traveler,  was  also  a  skillful  observer,  1  have  always 
considered  that  he  was  mistaken,  the  victim  of  an  illusion. 
Still,  although  I  have  several  limes  tried  to  fmd  out  what 
animal  mij^ht  have  j^iven  him  the  illusion  of  the  pangolin, 
I  was  never  able  to  guess. 

It  was  not  an  illusion.  Although  extremely  rare  and 
almost  extinct,  the  mysterious  animal  exists,  with  the  sole 
difference,  that  instead  of  being  a  pangolin,  it  is  the  last 
representative  of  a  group  which  was  believed  to  be  quite 
extinct,  a  gravigrade  edentate  related  to  Mylodon  and 
PseudoUslodon. 

Lately,  several  little  ossicles  have  been  brought  to  me 
from  Southern  Patagonia,  and  I  have  been  asked  to  what 
animal  they  could  belong.  What  was  my  surprise  on  seeing 
in  my  hand  these  ossicles  in  a  fresh  state,  and,  notwithstand- 
ing that,  absolutely  similar  to  the  fossil  dermal  ossicles  of 
the  genus  Mylodon,  except  only  that  they  are  of  smaller 
size,  varying  from  nine  to  thirteen  or  fourteen  millimeters 
across.  I  have  carefully  studied  these  little  bones  from 
every  point  of  view  without  being  able  to  discern  any 
essential  difference  from  those  found  in  a  fossil  state. 

These  ossicles  were  taken  from  a  .skin,  which  was  unfor- 
tunately incomplete,  and  without  any  trace  of  the  extremi- 
ties. The  skin,  which  was  found  on  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  ami  showed  signs  of  IxMng  exposed  for  several 
months  to  the  action  of  the  air.  is  in  part  discolored.  It 
has  a  thickness  of  about  two  centimeter?,  and  is  so  tough 


2i6         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

that  it  is  necessary  to  employ  an  axe  or  a  saw  in  order  to 
cut  it.  The  thickest  part  of  the  skin  is  filled  by  the  little 
ossicles  referred  to,  pressed  one  against  the  other,  present- 
ing on  the  inner  surface  of  the  skin  an  arrangement  similar 
to  the  pavement  of  a  street.  The  exterior  surface  shows 
a  continuous  epidermis,  not  scaly,  covered  with  coarse 
hair,  hard  and  stiff,  having  a  length  of  four  to  five  centi- 
meters and  a  reddish  tint  turning  toward  gray. 

The  skin  indeed  belongs  to  the  pangolin  which  Lista  saw 
living.  This  unfortunate  traveler  lost  his  life,  like  Cr^vaux, 
in  his  attempt  to  explore  the  Pilcomayo,  and  until  the 
present  time  he  is  the  only  civilized  person  who  has  seen 
the  mysterious  edentate  of  Southern  Patagonia  alive;  and 
to  attach  his  name  appropriately  to  the  discovery,  I  call 
this  surviving  representative  of  the  family  Mylodontidae 
Neomylodon  listai. 

Now  that  there  are  certain  proofs  of  its  existence,  we 
hope  that  the  hunt  for  it  will  not  be  delayed,  and  that 
before  long  we  may  be  able  to  present  to  the  scientific 
world  a  detailed  description  of  this  last  representative  of  a 
group  which  has  of  old  played  a  preponderating  part  in  the 
terrestrial  faunas  which  have  succeeded  each  other  on 
South  American  soil. 

Ameghino  followed  his  account  of  Neomylodon  listai, 
which  he  had  printed  and  widely  distributed  in  Europe 
and  the  United  States  among  scientific  men  and  periodi- 
cals, by  an  article  which  appeared  in  La  Pirdmide 
of  Buenos  Aires,  under  date  of  June  15,  1899,  under  the 
title  Un  sobriviviente  actual  de  los  Megaterios  de  la 
antigua  Pampa.     Among  other  things  he  says: 

Recently  my  brother,  Carlos  Ameghino,  who  for  the  past 
twelve  years  has  been  making  collections  and  carrying  on 
geological  investigations  in  the  Patagonian  regions,  suc- 
ceeded in  somewhat  lifting  the  veil  of  darkness,  which  until 


A  Mysterious  Beast  217 

the  present  has  shadowed  the  existence  of  this  mystenous 
being. 

About  the  middle  of  last  year  he  sent  mc  from  Santa  Cruz 
some  remains  accompanied  by  the  fnllowin}^  linos:  'I  have 
succeeded  at  last  in  obtaining  from  the  Tchuelchc  Indians 
some  valuable  data  in  regard  to  the  famous  Yemisch,  which 
is  not  a  myth  or  creation  of  the  fancy,  as  we  have  believed, 
but  which  really  exists.  I  have  seen  in  the  possession  of  an 
Indian  a  piece  of  the  skin  of  the  Yemisch,  in  which  were 
imbedded  the  little  ossicles,  which  I  send  you,  just  like 
those  which  we  find  in  a  fossil  state  with  the  skeletons  of 
Mylodonts.  Hompen,  another  Tehuelche  Indian,  has 
informed  me  that  when  coming  from  Sengucr  to  Santa 
Cruz  he  encountered  a  Yemisch,  which  blocked  his  path, 
and  with  which  he  had  a  fight,  succeeding  in  killing  him  by 
blows.  According  to  these  people  the  creature  is  amphibi- 
ous, and  can  walk  on  land  as  well  as  it  swims  in  the  water. 
It  is  confined  in  its  range  to-day  to  the  central  parts  of 
Patagonia,  living  in  ca\c.>  and  sheltered  retreats  on  the 
banks  of  lakes  Colhu^,  Fontana,  and  Buenos  Aires,  and  of 
the  Sengucr,  Aysen,  and  Huemules  rivers;  but  according 
to  tradition  it  ranged  in  fonncr  times  as  far  as  the  Rio  Negro 
in  the  north,  and  far  south,  so  the  older  Indians  say,  to  all 
of  the  lakes  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Andes,  and  even  to 
the  Straits  of  Magellan.  It  happened  about  the  middle 
of  this  century  that  a  Yemisch  which  was  coming  down  from 
the  lakes  of  the  Andes  to  the  Santa  Cruz  River  came  on 
shore  on  the  north  bank  of  this  stream  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Pavon  Island;  the  Indians  fled  in  terror  into  the  back 
country,  and  ever  since  then,  in  memory  of  the  unlocked  for 
apparition,  have  given  the  spot  which  they  abandoned  the 
name  of  Yemisch-Aiken  (the  place,  or  haunt,  of  the 
Yemisch).  It  is  nocturnal  in  its  habits,  and  is  said  to  be  so 
strong  that  it  will  seize  horses  and  drag  them  down  into 
deep  water.  According  to  the  description  given  me  it  has 
a  short  head,  with  great  canine  teeth,  and  small  cars, 
short,  fiat  (plantigrade)  feet,  with  three  toes  on  the  front 


2i8  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

feet,  and  four  on  the  hind  feet,  joined  by  a  web  fitting  them 
for  swimming,  while  at  the  same  time  they  are  armed  with 
formidable  claws.  The  body  is  covered  with  short,  harsh, 
and  stiff  hair,  uniformly  bay  in  color.  In  size,  I  am  told, 
the  animal  is  larger  than  the  puma,  with  shorter  legs,  and 
a  much  thicker  body. 

The  result  of  these  publications  by  Ameghino  was 
amusing.  The  minds  of  the  curious  were  inflamed. 
The  reputed  existence  in  life  of  a  relative  of  the  extinct 
Megatherium  naturally  attracted  wide  attention.  To 
find  such  an  animal  in  Patagonia  seemed  as  remarkable 
as  it  might  have  been  to  have  found  a  living  mammoth 
straying  about  in  Alaska  or  the  Lena  Delta  in  Siberia. 

The  subject  was  "nuts"  for  the  reporters  of  the  news- 
papers in  Buenos  Aires.  These  gentlemen  are  quite 
as  wide-awake  and  active  as  their  brethren  in  New  York 
and  London.  Hardly  a  day  passed  without  reference 
to  the  theme.  The  fact  that  "our  distinguished  fellow- 
citizen,  the  eminent  scientist, "  etc.,  had  declared  for 
the  actual  existence  of  the  beast  was  enough  in  the 
minds  of  the  scribes  to  put  the  whole  question  beyond 
controversy.  With  screaming  headlines  it  w-as  from 
time  to  time  announced  that  various  persons  had  found 
and  followed  the  tracks  of  the  "  mammifero  misterioso, " 
but  unfortunately  without  reaching  its  lair.  Among 
those  reported  in  the  papers  as  having  trailed  the 
Yemisch  w^as  Lord  Cavendish,  who  was  taking  an  outing 
in  Patagonia,  and  his  adventures  were  retailed  with 
particularity,  although  the  gentleman  afterwards  was 
greatly  amazed  upon  his  return  to  civilization  to  dis- 
cover what  had  been  written  and  printed  about  occur- 
rences of  which  he  had  no  knowledge  or  recollection. 
The  excitement  was  not  confined  to  Argentina.  Hardly 
a  newspaper,  or  scientific  journal  in  the  world,  failed 


A  Mysterious  Beast  219 

to  devote  at  least  a  paragraph  to  the  remarkable 
discovery.  In  a  lecture  before  the  Zoological  Society 
Dr.  (now  Sir)  Edwin  Ray  Lankester  said,  "It  is  quite 
]M-)ssible  that  the  Mylodon  still  exists  in  some  of  the 
mountainous  regions  of  Patagonia."  Thereujx)n  Mr. 
Pe^irson,  the  proprietor  of  the  Daily  Express  of  London, 
promptly  provided  the  necessary  funds  for  equipping 
an  exj)editii^n  to  go  and  search  for  the  beast,  and  Mr. 
Hesketh  Prichard  was  sent  out  to  find  it.  The  result 
was  a  beautifully-illustrated  work  upon  Patagonia  by 
Mr.  Prichard,  but  no  Mylodon,  no  Yemisch  was  re- 
turned to  the   Ivondon  Zoo. 

Meanwhile  the  little  group  of  hard-headed  scientific 
men  at  the  Museum  in  La  Plata  and  their  correspond- 
ents elsewhere  took  the  matter  in  hand  and  addressed 
in  public  some  very  embarrassing  questions  to  Scnor 
Ameghino,  whose  enthusiasm  apix^ared  to  them  to 
have  rather  gotten  the  better  of  his  judgment.  The 
paleontological  teapot  began  to  simmer  and  then  to 
boil.  It  was  a  good  deal  like  the  "row,"  which  broke 
up  the  "camp  on  the  Stanislaw,"  though  there  was  no 
"heaving  of  rocks."  Dr.  Rodolfo  Hauthal  went  back 
to  Consuelo  Cove  and  made  a  careful  reexamination 
of  the  cave.  His  published  report,  which  appeared  in 
the  Revista  of  the  Museum  in  La  Plata,  is  most  interest- 
ing and  illuminating.  He  shows  that  the  cave  had  no 
doubt  at  one  time  been  used  as  a  human  habitation, 
and  that  its  occupants,  if  they  had  not  domesticated 
the  great  and  thoroughly  inoffensive  ground-sloth,  had 
at  least  held  it  in  captivity.  He  found  that  part  of  the 
cave  had  been  used  as  a  stable  for  the  brutes,  and  that 
in  one  place  there  was  a  deposit  of  the  dried  dung  of 
the  animals  ab<iut  four  feet  in  depth,  showing  that  the 
spot  must  have  been  used  for  a  long  time.     He  found  a 


220 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


Fig  22. — Dried  ordure  of  Grypotherium 
domesticum  Roth.  Specimens  in  Carnegie 
Museum,     i  nat.  size. 


Stack  of  hay  which  had  been  employed  as  fodder.  He 
found  more  pieces  of  the  strange  skin  and  numerous 
bones.  The  skulls  of  the  specimens,  which  he  and 
others  before  him  had  found,  showed  that  the  animals 
had  been  killed  by  knocking  them  on  the  head  by  a 
weapon,  possibly  a  stone  ax.  He  found  various  arte- 
facts representing  a  primitive  race  of  men.  Dr. 
Santiago   Roth  described   the  material  brought   back 

by  Hauthal  and 
others,  and  gave 
the  animal  the 
name  of  Grypothe- 
rium domesticum, 
holding  that  the 
specific  name  lis- 
tai,  applied  by 
Ameghino,  related 
not  to  the  remains 
discovered  at  Last  Hope  Inlet,  but  to  an  imagi- 
nary creature.  It  was  pointed  out  by  several 
critics,  among  them  Professor  J.  B.  Hatcher,  that  in 
truth  the  type  of  Ameghino 's  Neomylodon  listai,  if 
type  it  could  be  called,  was  a  lot  of  hearsay,  a  rumor,  a 
tale  told  by  an  Indian.  Florentino  Ameghino  had  in 
fact  heard  in  some  way  a  report  of  the  finding  of  the 
skin  at  Last  Hope  Inlet.  The  story  had  passed  from 
mouth  to  mouth,  though  nothing  had  as  yet  been 
printed  about  the  matter.  A  few  of  the  bonelets  had 
also  probably  been  passed  from  hand  to  hand  as 
"curios."  They  had  fallen  apparently  into  the  pos- 
session of  Carlos  Ameghino,  who  sent  them  to  his 
brother.  Without  any  more  definite  knowledge  than 
he  had  thus  acquired  Ameghino  rushed  into  print  with 
his  new  generic  and  specific  names.     There  are  men  who 


A  Mysterious  Hcast  221 

are  affected  by  a  loudness  for  claiming;  the  first  place 
as  the  disseminators  of  scientific  information,  and  there 
is  a  weakness  now  and  then  manifested  by  systematists 
which  induces  them  to  attach  their  names  to  new  genera 
and  species  upon  slight  provocation.  I  had  a  friend 
in  the  ranks  of  my  entomological  corrcsjjondents  a 
number  of  years  ago  who  was  thus  afflicted.  On 
one  occasion  it  hapjDened  that  I  named  and  described 
a  new  and  very  beautiful  butterfly  from  Mexico,  and 
when  my  friend  came  across  the  description  he  turned 
to  a  mutual  acquaintance  and  said:  "Thunder!  If 
I  had  only  imagined  that  there  existed  such  a  thing,  I 
should  have  gone  to  work  at  once  and  named  it  and  pub- 
lished a  description  of  it,  even  without  seeing  it,  rather 
than  have  let  Holland  have  the  credit  of  doing  so." 
It  is  an  odd  thing  that  in  the  calm  realms  of  science  the 
play  of  human  passions  should  sometimes  thus  reveal 
itself.  Dr.  R.  Lchmann-Nitsche  from  the  standpoint  of 
an  anthropologist  and  student  of  folk-lore  came  forward 
and  punctured  the  myth  of  the  so-called  Yemisch, 
showing  that  the  big  otter  of  South  America  {Lutra 
Jelina)  and  the  jaguar  had  been  brought  together  and 
made  to  render  joint  service  in  the  fabrication  of  a 
monster  as  real  as  some  of  the  beasts  of  ancient 
mythology.  The  jaguar,  "El  jaguar  del  agua"  as 
the  animal  was  called  by  the  Indians,  because  it  has 
the  habit  of  frequenting  the  pools  where  the  animals 
it  preys  upon  come  down  to  drink,  was  the  creature 
to  which  most  of  the  tales  told  by  the  Indians  referred, 
and  Carlos  Ameghino  had  been  unfortunate  in  linking 
their  legends  relating  to  the  great  cat  with  the  harmless 
edentate,  which  was  a  vegetarian,  and  had  been  fed 
upon  hay.  It  was  quite  a  "  merry  war, "  while  it  lasted. 
The  literature  provoked  by  the  discussion  is  printed  in 


222 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


six  or  seven  languages,  and  would  fill  a  large  volume,  if 
brought  together. 

Out  of  the  affair  came  a  better  knowledge  of  Pata- 
gonian  lands  and  the  perception  of  the  fact  that  the 
fauna  of  the  Pampean  beds  had  survived  to  some  extent 
to  quite  recent  times ;  at  all  events  that  one  of  the  near 
relatives  of  the  Megatherium  and  the  Mylodon  had  at 
some  remote  period,  perhaps  within  the  Christian  era, 
been  held  in  captivity,  kept  in  corrals,  fed  with  hay,  and 
used  for  food.  In  the  case  of  the  writer  the  most 
interesting  result  was  the  acquisition  for  the  Carnegie 
Museum  of  a  piece  of  the  hide  from  the  cave  at  Last 
Hope  Inlet,  together  with  a  lot  of  the  hair  and  the  dried 
ordure  of  the  "Mysterious  Beast." 


hJ    3 

^      1 


CHAPTER  XVI 

LIFE  IN  LA  PLATA 

"  1  do  not  own  an  inch  of  land, 

But  all  I  sec  is  mine, — 
The  orchard  and  the  mowing-fields 

The  lawns  and  gardens  fine. 
The  winds  my  lux -collectors  are 

They  bring  me  tithes  divine, — 
Wild  scents  and  subtle  essences, 

A  tribute  rare  and  free 
And  more  magnificent  than  all, 

My  window  keeps  for  nu' 
A  glimpse  of  blue  immensity, — 

A  littlo  strip  of  sra.  "—Luty  Larcom. 

THE  greater  pari  ot  the  lime  which  we  sjx^nt  in  La 
Plata  was  necessarily  devoted  to  our  tasks  in  the 
Museum.  But  there  were  a  number  of  holidays  and 
holy  days  when  our  labors  were  interrupted.  As  in  all 
Latin  lands  the  calendar  of  the  Church  is  observed. 
Interruptions  due  to  this  cause  and  the  comparatively 
short  hours  at  the  Museum  gave  opportunity  now  and 
then  to  take  long  walks.  The  extreme  flatness  of  the 
region  did  not  at  first  glance  hold  out  promise  of  enter- 
tainment, but  there  are  other  things  besides  hills  and 
mountains  which  lend  interest  to  a  stroll  in  the  country. 
Flat  lands  are  not  without  their  attractive  features. 
Some  of  the  most  delightful  pedestrian  excursions  I  have 
ever  made  were  along  the  dikes  and  ditches  of  Holland. 
When  I  was  a  lad  and  lived  for  a  few  months  in   In- 

223 


224  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

diana,  although  I  missed  the  mountains  and  the  hills, 
among  which  I  had  passed  my  earlier  years,  I  neverthe- 
less derived  great  pleasure  from  rambling  through  the 
fields.  So  it  was  also  here  in  this  flattest  of  all  flat 
lands,  the  Province  of  Buenos  Aires.  The  sky  in  level 
countries,  as  boundless  as  that  which  lifts  its  vault 
over  the  ocean,  possesses  a  charm  which  partly  compen- 
sates for  the  lack  of  variety  due  to  the  absence  of  broken 
or  rugged  surfaces.  Though  so  broad,  the  sky  over 
prairie-lands  always  seems  to  possess  a  different  quality 
from  the  sky  above  the  sea,  whether  because  of  reflec- 
tions from  the  surface  or  the  presence  of  minute  par- 
ticles of  dust  in  the  lower  regions  of  the  air.  This 
difference  is  noticeable  at  the  coast,  where  in  looking  in 
one  direction  the  observer  sees  the  sky  above  the  water, 
and  in  the  other  the  sky  above  the  land.  This  differ- 
ence is  most  plainly  discernible  just  above  the  horizon- 
line.  The  vegetation  of  flat  lands  always  differs  from 
that  of  hilly  countries,  and  in  consequence  foregrounds 
as  well  as  backgrounds  vary  in  the  two  cases.  Not 
only  from  the  standpoint  of  the  artist,  who  sees  the 
surface  of  things,  and  notes  forms  and  colors,  but  also 
from  that  of  the  naturalist  there  is  much  of  interest  to 
be  observed  in  level  countries.  Such  lands  generally 
are  fertile,  and  even  if  there  be  no  great  variety,  there 
is  luxuriance  and  richness  of  color  in  their  vegetable 
growths.  There  are  no  lusher  greens  than  those  of  the 
New  Jersey  flats  or  of  the  pasture-lands  of  Zeeland  in 
early  summer.  And  so  it  was  in  the  environs  of  La 
Plata.  The  pampas  "arrayed  in  living  green,"  over 
which  was  bent  the  blue  dome  of  the  sky,  proved 
attractive  enough  to  me  to  invite  me  to  repeat  on  several 
occasions  the  first  stroll  which  I  had  taken  into  el 
campo.     At  such  times  I  found  it  most  agreeable  to 


Life  in  1..1  I'l.ita 


^-.-^ 


employ  the  services  of  a  cothero  to  drive  me  out  through 
the  city  and  its  immediate  suburbs,  setting  me  down  at  a 
given  point,  to  which  he  received  instructions  to  return 
several  hours  afterwards,  and  from  which  he  brought 
me  back  to  the  Observatory.  Once  I  went  to  Ensenada, 
cutting  across  the  fields;  t)nce  1  t(xik  a  long  stroll  north- 
ward in  the  direction  of  Buenos  Aires,  and  a  number  of 
times  I  walked  out  to  the  south  and  the  west  of  the  city. 
It  was  a  pleasure  to  escai:)e  from  paved  streets,  to  feel 
under  foot  the  green  sod  of  the  country  roads,  to  observe 
the  growing  things,  in  which  the  pulses  of  springtime 
were  asserting  themselves,  to  listen  to  the  voices  of 
nature,  overhead  the  sky,  "that  shameless  blue  sk>'." 
which  Signor  Negri  said  he  loathed,  but  which  always 
seemed  beautiful  to  me,  and  which  did  not  always 
retain  its  blue  tint,  being  sometimes  overcast  with  the 
clouds  of  an  approaching  storm  or  sometimes  in  the 
evening  just  before  sunset  breaking  into  a  veritable 
riot  of  color. 

In  my  rambles  about  La  Plata  I  was  struck  by  the 
fact  that  many  of  the  plants  by  the  roadsides  and  in 
the  fields  were  old  acquaintances.  The  same  process 
which  has  gone  on  in  the  United  States  is  going  on  here. 
As  Eurojx'an  weeds  have  taken  {x^ssession  of  the  whole 
Atlantic  seaboard  in  North  America,  so  they  are  taking 
I)ossession  of  the  littoral  of  Argentina.  Seventy-five 
years  ago  Charles  Darwin  called  attention  to  the  fact 
that  the  Euroix-an  fennel  had  escajK'd  from  cultivation, 
and  noted  that  "in  great  profusion"  it  covered  "the 
ditch-banks  in  the  neighborhood  of  Buenos  Aires, 
Montevideo,  and  other  towns."  It  certainly  has  not 
ceased  to  propagate  itself  since  his  day  and  is  every- 
where in  evidence.  Darwin  also  called  attention  to  the 
abundance  of  the  cardoon   {Cynara  cardunculus)  and 


226  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

the  mottled-leaved  thistle  of  the  pampas.  Both  are 
immigrant  from  Europe.  The  cardoon,  its  silvery 
bluish  green  multifid  leaves  strongly  contrasting  with 
the  darker  green  of  the  grasses,  covers  wide  tracts  in 
the  fields  and  by  the  roadsides,  and  in  spots  has  taken 
complete  possession  of  the  slopes  of  the  railway  em- 
bankments. It  is  the  wild  form  of  the  artichoke,  and 
its  buds  are  used  as  food,  the  fleshy  base  being  pared, 
boiled,  and  served  as  a  vegetable.  It  grows  ever}-- 
where  except  in  the  ver}'  hot  lands  of  the  tropical 
north.  Associated  with  it  is  the  plant  which  Darwin 
speaks  of  as  the  "giant  thistle  of  the  pampas. "  This  is 
also  an  adventitious  plant,  which  has  found  its  way  into 
the  country  from  the  southern  parts  of  Europe.  It  is 
known  as  "Milk-Thistle"  {Silybiim  marianum)  and 
has  large  w^avy  spinous  leaves,  of  which  those  growing 
near  the  ground  are  dark  green,  mottled  with  white, 
recalling  in  their  color-scheme  the  leaves  of  the  Asarmn 
caiilescens,  the  Kamo-awoi  of  Japan,  which  was  used 
as  the  crest  of  the  Tokugawa  shoguns.  The  white  stain 
on  the  rosette-leaves  of  this  thistle  according  to  a 
legend  current  in  southern  Europe  was  caused  by  the 
falling  of  a  drop  of  the  milk  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  it 
was  in  allusion  to  this  legend  that  it  received  the  speci- 
fic name  marianum.  The  French  call  the  plant  Char- 
don  Marie.  In  the  lands  of  the  Mediterranean  it  is 
cultivated  to  some  extent;  its  young  leaves  being  used 
as  a  spring  salad,  its  roots  employed  as  pot-herbs,  and 
the  heads  being  treated  like  those  of  the  artichoke. 
These  two  species  of  thistle  have  literally  taken  posses- 
sion of  the  land  about  the  River  Plate.  They  had  done 
so  already  a  century  ago,  and  Darwin  in  speaking  of  the 
cardoon  says,  "I  doubt  whether  any  case  is  on  record  of 
an  invasion  on  so  grand  a  scale  of  one  plant  over  the 


Life  in  La  i'lata  227 

aborigines."  In  speaking  of  the  matter  to  one  of  my 
friends  he  informed  me  that  the  advent  of  these  thistles 
is  not  altogether  to  be  regarded  as  having  been  a  curse. 
"If  it  had  not  been  for  the  thistles,"  he  said,  "a  few 
years  ago,  when  we  had  a  terrible  drought,  a  great  deal 
more  of  the  live  stock  would  have  been  lost  than  actually 
was  the  case.  The  cattle,  which  ordinarily  refuse  to 
eat  the  leaves,  took  to  them,  and  their  lives  were 
saved. " 

I  was  astonished  to  see  the  hemlock  {Conium  macii- 
lalum),  recalling  the  tragic  death  of  Socrates,  growing 
everywhere  in  the  rankest  profusion.  As  this  plant  is 
said  to  be  fatal  to  philosophers  and  cattle,  though  it 
may  be  eaten  by  asses  and  goats,  I  was  surprised  to  see 
thickets  of  it  springing  up  on  the  grazing  lands  on  which 
is  kept  some  of  the  finest  blooded  stock  in  Argentina. 
\'arious  European  grasses  are  common.  The  white 
clover  {Trijoliiim  re  pens)  is  found  everywhere  as  with 
us,  and  so  are  various  other  species  of  the  same  genus, 
all  adventitious  from  southern  Europe.  Chickwecd, 
bed-straw,  purslane,  shepherd's-purse,  and  ragweed 
were  found  gro\^•ing  by  the  road.  I  was  impressed  by 
the  fact  that  not  only  these,  but  scores  of  other  Euro- 
pean and  Xorth  American  weeds,  the  "tramps"  of  the 
vegetable  world,  have  found  congenial  soil  in  these  lands 
of  the  South  Temperate  Zone,  and  are  apparently 
slowly  replacing  the  native  flora.  Just  as  the  people 
of  Eurojx?  have  exterminated  the  alxjrigines,  so  the  weeds 
of  Europe  are  exterminating  the  lowly  plants  of  the 
region,  and  are  surely  taking  possession  of  the  soil. 

As  I  have  already  remarked  elsewhere  the  inhabitants 
of  Argentina  manifest  a  preference  for  the  eucalyptus 
as  a  shade-tree,  and  it  apjx^ars  alx)ut  almost  all  farm- 
houses.     The   Araucaria   is   also   frequently   planted. 


228  To  tlic  Ri\er  I'latc  and  Back 

The  genus  Araucaria,  which  is  related  to  the  pines  of  the 
northern  hemisphere,  but  differs  from  them  strikingly 
in  general  appearance,  is  represented  by  several  South 
American  species,  one  of  which  known  as  the  "  Monkey- 
puzzle"  or  "Chili  pine"  {Araucaria  imbricata)  forms 
great  forests  in  the  southern  part  of  the  Andean  regions. 
It  apparently  thrives  well  in  the  latitude  of  Buenos 
Aires.  Its  stately  relative,  the  Norfolk  pine  {Araucaria 
excelsa),  which  in  its  native  haunts  often  grows  to  the 
height  of  two  hundred  feet,  is  also  to  be  occasionally 
seen  in  plantations  in  the  vicinity  of  La  Plata.  Two 
or  three  species  of  Casuarina  are  also  extensively 
planted.  The  "  Pride-of-India "  {Melia  azedarach)  is 
another  tree  which  seems  to  enjoy  popularity,  and  is 
often  seen  along  the  highways  and  about  railway  stations. 
Every  one  who  has  visited  Spain  or  Morocco  has  learned 
to  know  the  "  Bellasombra-tree "  {Phytolacca  dioica). 
This  great  tree,  related  to  the  pokeberry  of  our  way- 
sides and  waste  places,  is  not  uncommon  about  the 
estancias  in  the  vicinity  of  Buenos  Aires.  Its  huge 
fleshy  roots,  which  grow  on  the  surface  of  the  soil, 
covering  an  area  almost  as  great  as  the  branches,  look 
like  great  coiled  and  twisted  serpents  upon  the  ground, 
but,  although  the  tree  attains  goodly  proportions,  and 
the  broad  leaves  afford  a  grateful  shade,  I  have  con- 
ceived a  prejudice  against  it,  on  account  of  its  tendency 
like  a  great  vegetable  cancer  to  cover  the  soil  with  its 
spongy  and  unsightly  roots.  I  imagine  that  it  was 
introduced  from  Spain,  and  the  specimens  I  saw  about 
La  Plata  appear  to  indicate  that  they  must  have  been 
planted  long  ago.  All  of  the  trees  of  this  species  which 
I  saw  were  mature.  The  largest  specimen  I  observed 
stood  in  the  courtyard  of  a  dilapidated  farmhouse, 
and  I  should  say  that  it  must  be  fully  fifty  years  old, 


Life  in  La  Lhita 


229 


being  at  least  four  feet  in  diameter  five  feet  from  the 
ground.  Various  species  of  acacia  are  grown,  and  seem  to 
propagate  themselves  as  freely  as  does  our  locust-tree 
{Robin ia  pseudacacia).  These  plants  seemed  to  be 
particularly  liable  to  the  attack  of  a  species  of  bag- 
worm  {CEkcticus  platcnsis) ,  innumerable  cocoons  of  which 
were  pendent  ui)on  their  branches.  This  same  insect 
appears  to  ravage  the  i)oplars  and  willows.  The  euca- 
lyptus escapes  from  their  at- 
tacks, but  I  observed  that  a 
great  many  species  of  decidu- 
ous trees  were  infested  by 
these  curious  insects.  The  fe- 
male is  wingless,  as  is  the  case 
with  all  of  the  species  of  the 
genus;  the  male  is  able  to  fly. 
The  female  remains  in  the  co- 
coon, and  is  little  more  than  a 
living  mass  of  eggs.  After  fer- 
tilization has  occurred  the  eggs 
hatch,  and,  emerging  from  the 
silken  sack  which  has  been  the  nuptial  couch  and  then 
the  coffin  of  the  mother,  the  little  caten^iHars  crawl  forth 
and  the  cycle  of  life  is  renewed.  The  small  water- 
courses and  shallow  ponds  which  abound  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Lii  Plata  are  all  beginning  to  be  lined  with 
willows  and  osiers.  In  such  places  I  also  found  Arundo 
donax,  the  common  reed  of  southern  Eurojx;.  I  saw  a 
couple  of  fields  in  the  outskirts  of  La  Platra  where  this 
plant  was  being  cultivated,  but  I  observed  that  it  had 
also  escaped  in  six)ts  and  was  propagating  itself. 
According  to  Otto  Kunze  seventy-five  jx'r  cent,  of  the 
plants  growing  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Buenos 
Aires  and  La  Plata  are  introduced  six*cies,  the  majority 


Fig.  23. — Co<X)on  of  CEketi- 
cus  plalfnsis.     Nat.  size. 


230         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

of  which  have  come  from  Mediterranean  lands.  It  is 
odd  to  think  how  thoroughly  the  region  is  becoming 
affiliated  with  the  region  from  which  its  early  European 
settlers  came,  and  that  not  only  its  human  inhabitants, 
but  its  shrubs  and  grasses,  its  flowers  and  its  fruits, 
should  be  Iberian  or  Italian  in  their  origin.  To  the 
north  under  the  hot  sun  of  the  tropics  this  is  not  the 
case.  There  the  men  and  the  plants  of  the  Temperate 
Zone  have  a  struggle  for  existence,  in  which  the  odds 
appear  to  be  against  them. 

On  my  tramps  I  naturally  was  much  interested  in 
studying  the  habits  of  the  birds.  In  a  grove  of  willows 
which  I  found  about  a  mile  and  a  half  north  of  La  Plata 
I  discovered  hundreds  of  the  Seed-finch  {Sycalis  luteola) , 
congregating  among  the  branches  and  filling  the  air 
with  incessant  twitterings  and  low  warblings,  which 
reminded  me  of  that  passage  in  Holy  Writ,  which 
likens  the  sound  of  the  voices  of  the  multitude  before  the 
Throne  to  "the  voice  of  many  waters. "  It  was  an  un- 
interrupted stream  of  tiny  bird-voices,  which  gathered 
and  swelled  into  a  great  volume  of  sound,  resembling 
that  of  a  brook  or  small  river  tinkling  over  the  stones 
and  pebbles.  The  little  creatures  seemed  to  be  so  intent 
upon  their  chorus  that  they  allowed  me  to  creep  in 
among  the  trees  without  at  first  being  disturbed  or 
ceasing  their  music.  They  are  about  as  large  as  a 
canary  bird,  olive-green  above,  yellowish  below,  and 
admirably  adapted  by  their  coloration  to  concealment 
among  the  foliage  of  the  willows,  which  were  in  their 
vernal  dress.  I  was  able  to  study  them  closely  with  the 
help  of  my  opera-glasses,  but  after  a  while  they  seemed 
suddenly  to  take  fright,  and  with  a  great  rush  of  wings 
flew  away  in  a  cloud  to  an  adjoining  field,  where  there 
were  other  willows,  and  whither  I  did  not  try  to  follow 


Life  in  La  Tlata  231 

them,  as  to  have  done  so  would  have  led  me  through  a 
lot  of  deep  mire.  I  am  sure  their  fright  was  occasioned 
by  a  hawk,  which  was  prowling  around,  and  which  I 
saw  afterwards  alighting  upon  a  stake  with  one  of  the 
songsters  in  his  talons,  which  he  proceeded  to  tear  up 
and  devour  after  the  manner  of  hawks. 

While  I  was  engaged  in  studying  the  ways  of  the 
Seed-finches,  my  attention  was  attracted  to  the  pcr- 
formances  of  a  couple  of  Guiras  {Giiira  giiira).  These 
birds,  which  belong  to  the  family  of  the  cuckoos,  are 
about  sixteen  inches  in  length,  ten  of  the  sixteen  inches 
being  comix)sed  of  the  tail,  which  when  the  bird  is  on 
the  wing  is  spread  out  like  a  fan.  The  tail-feathers  are 
conspicuously  colored,  the  two  in  the  middle  being 
dark  brown,  while  the  others  are  yellow  at  the  base, 
glossy  green  in  the  middle,  and  white  at  the  end. 
Their  bills  are  red  and  they  have  a  crest  of  reddish 
brown  feathers  ujx^n  their  heads.  The  back  and  rump 
are  white,  as  is  also  the  breast,  save  for  a  few  blackish 
streaks;  the  wings  are  blackish,  marked  with  white. 
Altogether  the  bird  is  rather  conspicuously  colored. 
It  is  a  very  noisy  fowl.  It  seems  to  have  the  habit  of 
flying  about  and  pitching  on  the  tops  of  trees  and  hang- 
ing on  the  ends  of  branches  uttering  a  succession  o{ 
harsh  cries  and  curious  discordant  notes,  which  suggest 
unhappiness  and  general  discontent.  There  were  some 
of  these  birds  which  haunted  the  grove  about  the  Ob- 
servatory', and  at  sunrise  they  used  to  make  a  great 
racket,  but  though  I  got  a  good  view  of  them  once  or 
twice,  and  often  heard  their  cries,  I  had  my  best  chance 
to  watch  them  in  the  willow-grove,  where  the  two  of 
which  I  have  spoken  remained  after  the  Seed-finches 
took  their  flight.  Hudson  tells  us  that  Azara,  who 
uTote   more    than    a    hundred    years   ago,    said  these 


232  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

birds  were  at  that  time  common  in  Paraguay,  but 
scarce  in  the  neighborhood  of  Buenos  Aires.  Times 
have  changed,  and  they  are  now  quite  common  about 
La  Plata,  but  there  is  reason  to  think  that  they  are 
tropical  birds,  which  for  some  cause  are  trying  to  adapt 
themselves  to  the  more  temperate  climate  of  the  south, 
for  which  nature  has  not  quite  prepared  them,  as  they 
lack  plumage  with  which  to  resist  the  cold.  Hudson 
says  that  they  often  die  of  cold  in  the  winter,  in  spite 
of  the  fact  that  at  that  time  of  the  year  they  have  the 
habit  of  congregating  in  flocks  and  roosting  huddled  to- 
gether upon  the  branches  in  order  to  keep  warm.  They 
are  said  to  be  somewhat  foul  in  their  habits,  and  to  be 
very  prolific.  The  latter  fact,  and  the  fact  that  they 
find  with  the  advent  of  civilized  man  into  the  region  a 
greater  supply  of  food  than  was  formerly  the  case, 
seems  to  account  for  their  survival  and  their  increase 
in  a  part  of  the  country  which  they  have  only  recently 
invaded. 

About  the  roots  of  the  willow-grove  there  ran  a  small 
brooklet,  not  more  than  a  foot  or  two  wide.  What  was 
my  surprise  to  discover  that  this  tiny  stream  of  water 
was  full  of  mussel-shells  and  of  great  fresh-water  snails 
belonging  to  the  genus  Ampullaria.  I  obtained  speci- 
mens of  the  latter,  which  my  colleague,  Dr.  Arnold  E. 
Ortmann,  since  my  return  has  determined  to  be  Am- 
pullaria canalicidata  D'Orbigny.  A  number  of  these 
shells  were  lying  about  on  the  greensward  under  the 
trees,  evidently  recently  having  been  robbed  of  their 
content,  consisting  of  the  animal  which  tenanted  them 
in  life.  Empty  shells  of  the  same  species  were  found 
here  and  there  under  telegraph  poles  and  along  the 
fences.  The  explanation  of  this  fact  is  found  in  the 
habits  of  the  commonest  hawk  of  the  region,  the  Ever- 


Lite  in  La  Plata  233 

glade  Kite,  as  it  is  called  in  Florida  {Roslrhamus  socia- 
bilis),  rather  a  rare  bird  in  North  America,  but  the 
commonest  of  all  the  hawks  in  the  meadow-lands  about 
La  Plata.  This  bird  has  a  very  strongly  curved  beak; 
in  fact  its  beak  is  more  strongly  curved  than  is  the  case 
in  any  other  bird  of  the  group  to  which  it  belongs.  The 
purpose  of  this  strong  curvature  of  the  beak  is  reali/xd 
when  we  learn  that  its  staple  food  consists  of  the  snails 
which  it  finds  in  the  arroyos  and  shallow  j)ools  of  the 
pampas,  and  which  it  extracts  from  their  shells.    Wlicn 


Fig.  24. — Head   of  Everglade  Fig.  25. — Shell  of  AmpuUana 

Kite  (Roslrhamus  sociabilis).     \         canaliculata.     \  nat.  size, 
nat.  size. 

I  was  a  small  boy  I  was  set  by  my  father,  who  was  a 
conchologist ,  at  the  task  of  collecting  the  land-shells  of 
the  neighborhood  where  we  lived.  In  order  to  remove 
the  animals  from  the  shells  and  prepare  them  for  the 
cabinet  I  was  taught  to  scald  them  in  hot  water,  and 
then  with  a  crooked  pin  to  ])ull  out  the  snails.  The 
crcx)ked  pin  which  I  employed  .served  exjirtly  the  same 
purpose  as  the  very  crooked  beak  of  these  Everglade 
Kites.  The  birds  in  great  numbers  frequent  the  swampy 
lands  and  the  borders  of  the  small  streams.  Having 
found  a  snail-shell,  an  Ampullaria.  ihcy  carr\*  it  to  the 
top  of  a  stake  or  a  telegraph  iK)le,  and  then,  holding  it 


234         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

in  their  talons,  insert  their  long  curved  beaks,  and  with 
a  quick  movement  pull  out  the  snail,  which  they  devour, 
while  letting  the  shell  fall  to  the  ground.  No  owner  of 
an  oyster-stand  in  Fulton  Market  could  be  quicker 
or  more  adroit  in  getting  the  fish  out  of  the  shell  than 
these  small  cousins  of  the  eagle. 

On  all  occasions  when  going  into  the  country  I  took 
with  me  my  nets  and  other  material  for  collecting  in- 
sects. Of  these  I  obtained  a  number,  but  the  season  was 
still  too  early  for  many  species.  Just  as  April  is  not  the 
best  time  in  the  Middle  States  to  collect  our  most 
interesting  insects,  so  in  the  vicinity  of  Buenos  Aires, 
October  is  not  the  most  favorable  month  for  the  ento- 
mologist. The  collecting  grew  better  as  the  weeks 
passed  by,  and  just  before  I  left  it  seemed  that  many  of 
the  more  showy  insects  were  taking  wing.  Butterflies 
and  moths  were  scarce  even  on  sunny  days,  and  but 
few  species  appeared.  Insects  of  other  orders  were  more 
numerous,  but  most  of  my  captures  represented  the 
smaller  diptera,  hymenoptera,  and  coleoptera.  Dr. 
Carlos  Bruch  has  in  his  possession  a  wonderful  collec- 
tion of  the  beetles  of  Argentina,  most  beautifully 
arranged,  and  accurately  determined.  I  spent  a  part 
of  an  afternoon,  after  the  Museum  had  closed,  in  look- 
ing at  his  treasures.  He  has  published  a  number  of  very 
valuable  papers  upon  the  beetles  of  the  country  and  has 
illustrated  them  with  fine  drawings  executed  by  himself. 
The  good  Doctor  is  not  only  a  scientist,  but  also  an 
artist.  He  has  latterly  taken  up  the  work  of  studying 
the  ants  of  the  region.  Of  these  there  are  a  great  many 
species,  which  have  very  curious  habits,  and  are 
endowed  wdth  wonderful  intelligence.  The  hymenop- 
tera— the  ants,  bees,  and  wasps — constitute  the  aristoc- 
racy of  learning  in  the  insect  world.     They  appear  to 


Lite  in  La  Plata  235 

have  more  intelligence  on  the  average  than  any  other 
order  of  insects.  Ever  since  the  days  of  Solomon  this 
fact  has  been  recognized.  It  would  require  a  large 
volume  to  relate  what  has  already  been  learned  as  to 
the  habits  of  these  tiny  creatures  in  South  American 
lands,  and  the  field  has  only  been  partially  investigated. 
I  was  much  interested  in  the  ways  of  one  species  of  ant, 
which  is  quite  common  in  Argentina,  and  which  has  for 
ages  been  engaged  in  growing  mushrooms.  They  are 
commonly  known  as  "leaf -cutting  ants."  On  a  num- 
ber of  occasions  I  found  them  at  work.  They  construct 
great  underground  galleries  or  cellars  deep  in  the  earth. 
Into  these  they  carry  masses  of  bits  of  green  foliage, 
which  they  pile  up  in  thick  layers.  In  the  beds  of 
vegetable  compost,  which  they  thus  construct,  are 
implanted  the  spawn  of  certain  fungi,  which  in  the 
heat  and  moisture  of  these  pits  develop  and  grow  and 
furnish  an  abundant  supply  of  food,  when  other  food 
is  not  easily  available.  It  was  a  truly  wonderful  sight 
to  watch  the  little  creatures  engaged  in  their  labors. 
There  was  a  nest  or  burrow  of  these  ants  under  a  jnle 
of  old  rails,  which  was  lying  and  rusting  beside  the 
railway  track  lx}tween  La  Plata  and  Ensenada.  The 
entrance  was  at  one  side  of  the  pile  of  rails,  and  could 
be  seen  plainly  by  stooping  down  and  peering  between 
the  rails.  The  ants  in  a  double  stream  were  constantly 
ix)uring  into  this  and  emerging.  Ever>'  ant  which  went 
in  had  a  bit  of  a  green  leaf,  which  he  had  cut  from  the 
border  of  a  leaf  of  alfalfa,  which  he  carried  between 
his  mandibles  in  such  a  way  that  its  thin  edge  was 
forward,  and  its  mass  was  over  the  back  of  the  ant. 
Those  that  came  out  had  nothing.  i\Jong  the  path 
which  they  pursued  were  a  number  of  soldiers  which 
looked  after  the  workers.    The  soldier  ants  are  bigger 


236         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

than  the  workers.  They  act  as  poHcemen  along  the 
hne,  preserve  the  ranks,  hurry  up  the  workers,  and  if 
any  of  them  get  into  trouble  come  to  their  assistance, 
aiding  them  in  adjusting  their  loads.  There  seemed  to 
be  the  utmost  order,  and  the  workers  appeared  to  be 
in  a  perfect  rush  of  haste  to  accomplish  their  tasks. 
The  line  of  march  from  the  nest  to  the  alfalfa  field, 
where  the  leaf-cutting  was  going  on,  was  more  than 
four  hundred  feet  long.  In  proportion  to  the  size  of 
the  animals  the  distance  was  greater  than  it  is  from  the 
Battery  to  Harlem.  I  measured  off  a  foot  along  the 
Hne  of  march  and  timed  the  little  creatures  as  they 
went  by.  It  took  them  about  ten  seconds  to  get  over  a 
foot  of  ground.  At  that  rate  they  made  the  run  from 
the  field  to  the  nest  in  something  more  than  an  hour. 
The  insects  returning  to  the  field  for  a  load  went  more 
quicldy.  They  seemed  to  scamper  by  in  much  less  time. 
All,  whether  going  or  coming,  apparently  were  on  a  dead 
run,  moving  as  fast  as  their  legs  could  carry  them.  A 
few  of  them  which  had  heavier  loads  seemed  to  have 
trouble,  and  would  stumble  and  run  against  little 
obstacles,  and  have  difficulty  in  keeping  their  loads 
properly  adjusted.  When  this  happened  the  soldiers 
would  hurry  up  to  them,  set  them  on  their  feet,  and 
get  them  going  again.  The  soldiers  can  always  be 
distinguished  from  the  others  by  their  larger  heads  and 
bigger  mandibles.  I  watched  them  quite  a  long  time, 
and  remarked  to  myself,  that,  if  errand  boys  in  New 
York  could  be  found  who  would  on  foot  carry  parcels 
from  the  Battery  to  Harlem  in  an  hour,  and  then  start 
back  again,  and  make  the  trip  five  times  a  day,  there 
would  be  a  revolution  in  the  parcel-post.  The  muscular 
power  of  insects  in  proportion  to  their  size  is  immense. 
Their  endurance  is  incredible. 


Lite  ill  La  rial. I  2;^7 

The  rambles  I  took  about  La  Plata  afforded  me  the 
only  opportunity  I  had  during  my  stay  in  Argentina  to 
come  into  toucli  witli  the  life  of  the  "Camp."  Ollier- 
wise  my  observations  were  confined  to  such  glimpses  as 
are  given  from  the  windows  of  express-trains.  The  word 
"camp"  is  a  simple  abbreviation  of  the  word  campo, 
the  Spanish  equivalent  of  the  English  word  "country." 
It  is  applied  by  the  denizens  of  the  tovMis  to  every- 
thing lying  beyond  their  outskirts.  The  people  of 
Buenos  Aires,  the  Porteiios,  as  they  call  themselves, 
with  that  self-complacency  which  is  characteristic  of 
the  inhabitants  of  all  large  municipalities,  are  in  the 
habit  of  thinking  and  speaking  of  everything  beyond 
their  limits  as  being  a  part  of  the  camp.  The  word  is 
also  used  in  a  more  restricted  sense  to  designate  a  large 
holding  of  agricultural  land.  On  my  way  home  from 
Mar  del  Plata  I  was  introduced  to  a  German  gentleman, 
who  informed  me  that  he  was  returning  to  Buenos  Aires 
after  having  paid  a  visit  to  "  his  camp."  He  said  to  me  : 
"  Ich  habe  cincn  Kamp  nicht  sehr  weit  von  Canuelas. " 
A  recent  writer  has  said:  "The  Camp  is  the  mainspring 
of  Argentine  prosperity.  The  marble  palace  of  the 
millionaire,  as  well  as  the  mud  hovel  of  the  immigrant, 
has  to  thank  this  rich  soil  of  the  campo  for  its  founda- 
tion."' At  the  time  of  my  arrival  in  Argentina  spring- 
plowing  was  being  carried  on.  In  every  direction  men 
could  be  seen,  generally  with  three  or  even  four  horses 
abreast,  engaged  in  the  work  of  breaking  up  the  soil. 
Steam-plows  are  also  used.  The  absolute  flatness  of  the 
land,  and  its  freedom  from  all  stones,  makes  the  use  of 
modem  agricultural  machiner>'  easy.  The  plowing 
which  was  going  on  was  mainly  for  the  com,  or  maize, 
which  is  planted  in  September  or  early  October.    WTieat 

'  Ne\-in  O.  Winter.  Argentina  and  hrr  PeepU  of  To-day.  p.  4K 


238         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

is  generally  planted  in  the  fall,  that  is  to  say  in  March  or 
April.  So  also  is  flax,  which  is  an  important  crop  in 
the  republic.  It  gave  me  pleasure  to  watch  the  plow- 
men, and  to  see  the  rich  black  soil  coming  up  and  rolling 
over  before  their  shares,  as  the  bow-wave  rolls  up  and 
turns  over  before  the  prow  of  a  boat.  The  soil  is  a  deep 
humus.  It  is  so  rich  that  up  to  the  present  time  little 
care  has  been  taken  to  return  to  it  any  of  the  wealth 
which  is  annually  being  extracted  from  it.  I  spoke  of 
this  to  the  owner  of  a  large  place,  whose  acquaintance  I 
happened  to  make.  He  told  me  that  thus  far  he  had 
not  felt  the  necessity  of  employing  fertilizers  to  any 
extent.  "I  have  been  cultivating  this  land  for  many 
years,  and  my  father  did  the  same  before  me, "  he  said, 
"but  all  that  seems  to  be  necessary  is  to  get  deeper 
plows,  and  go  down  a  little  further,  and  bring  up  a 
little  more  of  the  rich  subsoil."  It  is  the  story  of  our 
rich  western  prairie-lands  over  again,  but  there  will 
inevitably  come  an  end  to  this  process  of  robbing  the 
land.  The  rotation  of  crops  is  followed  to  a  consider- 
able extent,  and  this  has  a  conserving  effect.  The 
favorite  grazing  crop  is  alfalfa,  as  I  have  elsewhere 
observed.  Such  alfalfa  fields  I  have  never  seen  any- 
where else  in  the  world.  Four  crops  of  alfalfa  hay  are 
annually  taken  from  the  soil,  and  on  the  cattle-ranges 
the  plant  grows  up  as  fast  as  the  cattle  eat  it  down. 
The  yield  of  wheat  is  enormous.  The  best  wheat-lands 
are  not  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Buenos  Aires,  but 
more  to  the  west  and  southwest,  nevertheless  a  great 
deal  of  wheat  is  grown  quite  near  the  capital.        ^  v 

I  was  interested  in  studying  the  ways  of  the  gi^chos, 
the  "cowboys"  of  the  country.  They  are  mainly 
half-breeds,  and  adhere  to  the  picturesque  costume  of 
their  forefathers.     They  are  expert  riders,  and  use  the 


Wheat  Sacked  and  Piled  after  Threshing  on  an  Argentinian  Ranch. 


An  Argentini 


i  for  Heavy  Hauling. 


r/  [    t       ' 


Life  in  I. a  ri.ii.i  2;,9 

rope  as  do  the  cattlemen  on  uur  western  plains.  As, 
now  and  then,  a  party  of  theni  eanie  by  me  on  a  lope, 
my  mind  involuntarily  carried  me  back  to  the  plains  of 
western  Nebraska  and  of  Wyoming,  and  the  mesas  of 
our  southwestern  states,  where  just  such  riders,  on  just 
such  errands  bent,  used  to  be  a  few  years  ag^)  a  daily 
sight.  The  days  of  the  cowboy  on  our  plains  are 
numbered,  but  the  guacho  of  Argentina  still  has  a 
future  before  him,  as  the  day  of  the  small  farmer  has 
not  yet  dawned  in  the  land.  The  "small  farmer"  in 
Argentina  is  to-day  a  man  with  only  about  five  thou- 
sand acres  in  his  possession.  One  ranch  of  which  I 
heard  is  larger  than  the  State  of  Rhode  Island. 

The  transportation  of  crops  from  the  land  to  the 
railways  is  effected  by  means  of  peculiar  wagons,  the 
like  of  which  I  have  observed  nowhere  else.  They  ha\e 
but  two  wheels,  about  eight  feet  in  diameter,  and  are 
drawn  by  seven  or  eight  horses  harnessed  abreast,  or 
by  three  or  four  yokes  of  oxen.  In  such  vehicles,  very 
different  in  appearance  from  our  "prairie-schooners," 
the  grain  is  brought  to  the  railways,  thence  to  be  trans- 
ferred to  the  great  elevators  at  the  ports,  whence  it  is 
carried  to  the  markets  of  the  world. 

Just  as  in  our  western  country',  so  here  in  the  camp 
the  store  at  the  cross-roads  is  a  place  of  concourse.  I 
have  already  sixjkcn  of  the  store  which  we  found  in  the 
swamps  of  the  Parana,  and  save  that  the  buildings 
were  not  perched  u\k>ti  piles,  and  the  customers  did  not 
come  to  them  in  boats,  the  stores  which  I  fqund  scattered 
here  and  there  on  the  pampa  were  just  like  it  in  the 
medley  of  wares  represented  upon  the  shelves  and  in 
the  character  of  the  goods  displayed  for  sale. 

A  pleasant  incident  during  my  stay  in  La  Plata  was 
to  be  invited  to  join  a  party  of  students  and  their 


240         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

friends,  who  picnicked  in  a  grove  near  the  Museum,  and 
who  on  that  occasion  welcomed  a  number  of  visiting 
acquaintances  from  Montevideo,  who  had  come  over 
on  the  boat  the  night  before  to  spend  a  day  in  La  Plata. 
After  we  had  had  our  luncheon  under  the  shadow  of  the 
trees,  they  informed  me  that  they  would  like  to  accom- 
pany me  to  the  Museum  and  take  a  peep  at  the  replica 
of  the  big  skeleton.  This  w^as  done,  and  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  attempting  to  explain  in  very  bad  Spanish 
the  anatomy  of  the  beast  to  a  nimiber  of  highly  inter- 
esting young  people,  who  graciously  condoned  the 
blunders  which  I  am  certain  I  must  have  made.  To  be 
able  to  speak  in  unknown  tongues  w^as  in  apostolic 
times  regarded  as  a  proof  of  inspiration,  but  in  modern 
times  to  essay  to  use  a  language  other  than  that  kno^^•n 
from  childhood  sometimes  implies  more  courage  than 
inspiration.  The  results  are  at  times  comical.  The 
tendency  to  translate  literally  from  one  language  into 
another  leads  to  embarrassment,  and  at  moments  to 
hilarity.  I  was  told  a  comical  story  by  one  of  my 
friends  about  one  of  his  German  acquaintances,  who 
W'as  trying  to  make  his  way  about  Argentina  with  the 
help  of  a  pocket-dictionary  and  a  phrase-book.  He 
w^ent  into  a  hotel,  and  by  signs  succeeded  in  getting  a 
good  dinner  set  before  him.  When  the  meal  was  con- 
cluded, he  took  out  his  pocket-dictionary  and  opposite 
the  word  "how^"  found  the  Spanish  word  como, 
which  in  certain  cases  may  mean  "how%"  or  'T  eat." 
He  then  turned  to  the  dictionary,  and  looking  at  the 
word  "much,"  found  its  Spanish  equivalent,  miicho. 
He  put  the  two  together,  and,  turning  to  the  waiter, 
remarked,  "Como  mucho?''  The  waiter  politely 
bowed  his  assent  and  said,  "Si,  sefior,"  being  perfectly 
assured  that  the  gentleman  was  correct  in  his  statement 


Lifr  in   L.i   Tlala  241 

by  looking  at  his  eniply  plalc.  Thinking  that  the 
waiter  might  be  deaf,  the  German  repeated  the  obser- 
vation in  a  louder  tone,  only  to  receive  the  same  reply, 
"Si,  senor."  Then  he  fairly  shouted  the  words  at  the 
waiter,  who  rushed  ofT,  and  returned  with  a  tray  covered 
with  a  second  instalment  of  steaming  viands,  dui)licat- 
ing  the  first  order.  By  this  time  the  German  gentleman 
was  beside  himself.  Holding  the  pocket-dictionary 
in  his  hand  and  shaking  it  in  the  face  of  the  waiter,  and 
looking  in  disdain  at  the  table,  he  roared  the  words, 
*' Como  miicho/"  The  waiter  ran  to  the  manager,  in- 
forming him  that  the  German  gentleman  at  the  table 
which  he  was  serving  was  undoubtedly  insane.  The 
manager,  who  fortunately  spoke  the  German  language, 
came  up  and  asked  the  cause  of  the  trouble.  An  explana- 
tion followed.  "Ah,  but,"  said  the  manager,  "you 
should  not  have  said  'Como  mucho?'\  you  should  have 
said  '  Cuatilo  .^'  and  it  would  have  been  all  right.  After 
telling  my  waiter  three  times  that  you  are  a  heavy  feeder 
he  naturally  supposed  you  wished  to  be  helped  to  a 
second  jwrtion."  One  of  my  friends,  who  some  years 
ago  visited  the  United  States,  provoked  my  mirth  by 
telling  me  a  story  at  his  own  e.\i)ense  of  a  little  blunder 
which  he  unconsciously  made  upon  his  arrival  in 
New  York.  Presenting  a  letter  of  introduction  to  one 
of  the  prominent  citizens  of  Gotham,  the  latter  cor- 
dially invited  him  to  dine  at  his  home  on  the  following 
evening.  After  accepting  the  invitation  he  said,  "  I 
suppose  it  uill  be  in  order  for  me  to  come  in  my  night- 
clothes."  The  amused  look  on  the  face  of  his  ac- 
quaintance prompted  him  to  ask  questions,  and  he 
discovered  the  idiomatic  difference  between  "night- 
clothes"  and  "evening  dress."  As  these  tales  were 
told  me  after  my  attempt  to  discourse  upon  paleon- 
16 


242         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

tology  in  Spanish  to  the  small  circle  before  me,  I  have 
a  latent  and  horrible  suspicion  that  I  may  have  inno- 
cently said  something  dreadful,  without  meaning  to 
do  so. 

A  pleasant  afternoon  was  spent  in  the  company  of 
Professor  Rollin  D.  Salisbury,  who  accompanied  by  a 
friend  paid  a  visit  to  the  Museum ;  and  on  the  afternoon 
of  October  the  12th  we  had  the  pleasure  of  welcoming 
at  the  Museum,  Mr.  John  W.  Garrett,  the  American 
Minister,  together  with  Mrs,  Garrett,  her  mother,  Mrs, 
Warder,  and  Sir  Reginald  Tower,  the  British  Minister. 
They  arrived  about  one  o'clock,  and,  after  spending  a 
couple  of  hours  in  the  Museum,  visited  the  Observatory, 
where  they  took  tea  and  met  a  number  of  the  members 
of  the  Faculty  of  the  University  and  their  wives.  It 
was  the  first  visit  which  the  American  Minister  had 
paid  to  La  Plata  and  it  was  a  pleasure  to  present  him 
and  his  distinguished  companion  together  with  the 
charming  ladies  of  the  party  to  m}^  kind  friends,  who 
were  greatly  pleased  with  the  intelligent  interest  which 
they  took  in  the  work  of  the  Museum.  It  was  through 
the  kindness  of  Mr.  John  W.  Garrett,  among  others, 
that  Professor  John  B.  Hatcher  was  enabled  to  make  his 
now  classic  journeys  of  exploration  into  the  interior 
of  Patagonia  on  behalf  of  Princeton  University,  and 
our  eminent  visitor  showed  that  he  was  well  acquainted 
with  the  scientific  importance  and  value  of  the  noble 
collections  which  are  housed  under  the  roof  of  the 
Argentine  Museum. 

One  of  the  daily  sights  was  the  drilling  of  the 
troops,  who  marched  from  their  barracks  and  paraded 
on  the  avenue  immediately  in  front  of  the  Obser- 
vatory. They  appeared  to  be  stalwart  and  well- 
trained  men,  comparing  favorably  in  appearance  with 


Lif(.    in   La  Plata  243 

similar     bodies     of     soldiery    in    other    parts   of   the 
world. 

In  the  parks  and  about  the  public  buildings  we  often 
observed  prisoners,  dressed  in  striped  clothing  and 
strongly  guarded  by  soldiers,  employed  in  doing  work 
upon  the  grounds.  A  number  of  new  walks  and 
driveways  were  in  process  of  construction  around  the 
Museum.  In  front  of  the  building,  as  I  went  to  and 
fro,  I  daily  saw  the  convicts  at  work.  A  number  of 
them  appeared  to  be  half-breeds,  with  a  strong  infusion 
of  Indian  blood.  One  of  these  was  a  singularly  tall, 
handsome,  and  even  intelligent-looking  young  man. 
I  had  passed  him  so  often,  that  I  almost  felt  as  if  he 
were  an  acquaintance;  and  one  day,  as  I  went  by  while 
he  was  hard  at  work,  I  ventured  in  a  pleasant  way  to 
say  to  him  " Buenos  dias!"  I  shall  never  forget  the 
wicked,  angry  scowl,  which  met  my  salutation.  I  never 
repeated  the  experiment.  The  look  he  gave  me  con- 
vinced me  that  he  probably  was  where  he  was  for  good 
cause.  It  was  as  if  I  had  spoken  to  some  wild  animal 
held  in  captivity,  a  caged  leopard,  or  a  wolf  behind  the 
bars.  Oh !  the  pitiful  sadness  of  it !  I  inquired  of  one 
who  knew,  what  were  the  ofTenscs  for  which  these  men 
were  paying  the  penalty.  I  was  informed  that  their 
crimes  were  principally  theft  and  homicide.  ^Miatcvcr 
may  have  been  their  offenses,  it  seemed  to  me  to  be 
good  that  they  should  be  laboring  in  the  sunlight,  and 
doing  something  to  make  the  world  more  beautiful, 
rather  than  that  they  should  be  languishing  and  pining 
away  behind  the  blank  walls  of  a  dungeon.  There  is 
little  to  be  said  in  favor  of  the  policy,  which  under 
the  plea  of  protecting  "honest  labor,"  lays  the  bur- 
den of  endless  idleness  upon  those  who  have  fallen 
into  criminal  ways.     The  policy  is  cruel  to  the  indi- 


244         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

vidual    and    wasteful    from    the    standpoint     of    the 
state. 

Pleasant  memories  are  associated  with  a  visit  which 
I  paid  to  the  Director  of  the  Museum  in  Buenos  Aires, 
Dr.  Angel  Gallardo,  the  distinguished  successor  of  the 
late  Florentine  Ameghino.  According  to  appointment 
I  met  Dr.  Herrero-Ducloux  at  lunch-time  at  his  club, 
and  having  passed  a  very  pleasant  hour  with  him,  we 
went  together  to  call  upon  Professor  Gallardo  at  his 
residence.  We  were  cordially  received  in  his  beautiful 
home,  and  after  chatting  for  a  while,  and  enjoying  a 
peep  at  the  art-treasures  by  which  he  has  surrounded 
himself,  we  repaired  together  to  the  Museum.  The 
Museum  at  the  present  time  is  not  open  to  the  public, 
the  building  in  which  the  collections  are  housed  having 
been  pronounced  unsafe.  Plans  have  been  prepared  for 
the  erection  of  a  new  and  worthy  structure,  and  the 
Congress  has  made  an  appropriation  of  a  million  of 
dollars  with  which  to  begin  the  work.  The  Museum  in 
Buenos  Aires  in  its  origin  long  antedates  the  Museum 
in  La  Plata,  and  is  associated  in  the  minds  of  scientific 
men  with  the  labors  of  a  number  of  most  distinguished 
investigators,  who  in  former  years  have  been  connected 
with  it.  Among  the  famous  men  who  took  part  in  its 
work  in  early  years  must  be  mentioned  Aime  Bonpland, 
the  eminent  botanist,  who  was  the  friend  and  associate 
of  Humboldt  during  his  journeys  in  South  America 
from  1 798-1 804.  After  the  return  of  Humboldt  and 
Bonpland  from  their  long  and  adventurous  undertakings 
in  the  New  World,  Bonpland  settled  himself  down  in 
Paris  and  began  the  publication  of  the  series  of  works 
relating  to  the  flora  of  Mexico  and  South  America 
which  have  given  him  an  imperishable  fame.  He  en- 
joyed the  patronage  of  Napoleon,   who  made  him  a 


Life  in  r.i  Pl.ita  245 

pensioner  of  the  state  in  recognition  of  his  learning  and 
achievements,  and  he  was  a  prime  favorite  of  the  Em- 
press Josephine,  who  in  her  retirement  amused  herself 
by  endeavoring  to  grow  the  plants  of  the  tropics  from 
seeds  which  Bonpland  had  brought  back  with  him. 
At  the  Restoration  he  forsook  France,  and,  having 
been  offered  the  Chair  of  the  Natural  Sciences  in  the 
University  of  Buenos  Aires  in  1816,  he  took  up  his 
home  in  the  latter  city.  While  conducting  a  scientific 
expedition  on  the  upjXT  waters  of  the  Rio  Parana  he 
was  seized  by  the  Dictator  Francia,  who  at  that  time 
was  the  supreme  ruler  of  Paraguay,  and  held  in  captiv- 
ity for  over  ten  years.  \Mien  finally  released  in  1831 
he  returned  to  Buenos  Aires,  and  subsequently,  after 
having  resided  in  various  places  for  brief  periods  both 
in  Uruguay  and  Argentina,  died  in  Corrientes,  where  his 
remains  rest  until  this  day.  One  of  those  who  came 
after  Bonpland  was  the  great  German  naturalist, 
Hermann  Burmeister.  After  having  filled  professorships 
in  the  Universities  of  Berlin  and  Halle,  and  having 
represented  the  latter  University  in  the  first  National 
Assembly  in  1848,  and  served  as  a  member  of  the  first 
Prussian  Reichstag,  he  went  to  South  America  to  study 
and  explore.  Having  spent  a  couple  of  years  in  Brazil, 
he  returned  to  Germany  and  published  a  work  in  two 
volumes  upon  the  fauna  of  that  empire.  In  1861  he 
accepted  the  Directorship  of  the  Museum  in  Buenos 
Aires,  and  continued  to  hold  the  office  until  his  death 
in  1 891.  To  him  we  owe  a  great  deal  of  ^ur  knowledge 
of  the  natural  history-  of  Argentina,  and  he  was  one  of 
the  first  to  write  extensively  uix)n  the  extinct  fauna  of 
the  Tertiary  and  Quaternary  ages  in  S«nith  America. 
His  associate  and  succesjMir  was  Dr.  Carlos  Borg,  a  man 
of  great  attainments,  who  was  particularly  well  known 


246         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

as  an  entomologist.  At  his  death  the  Directorship  fell 
to  Florentino  Ameghino,  the  famous,  but  somewhat 
visionary,  paleontologist.  He  belonged  to  the  numer- 
ous class  of  "self-made"  scientists,  possessing  all  their 
virtues,  and  some  of  their  faults.  His  almost  incredible 
industry,  and  the  many  contributions  made  by  him  to 
the  literature  of  paleontology,  will  serve  to  keep  his 
memory  forever  green,  though  the  conclusions  which  he 
announced,  often  of  a  very  startling  nature,  will  in 
many  instances  not  stand  the  test  of  more  careful  in- 
vestigation ;  in  fact  many  of  them  even  before  his  death 
had  been  rejected  by  his  contemporaries  as  invalid, 
not  a  little  to  his  annoyance.  The  present  Director  of 
the  Museum  in  Buenos  Aires  is  a  gentleman  born  to  the 
purple.  Possessed  of  an  ample  fortune,  moving  in  the 
highest  social  circles,  educated  in  the  best  schools  of  his 
native  country  and  of  Eiirope,  he  has  already  filled  with 
distinction  the  Chair  of  Zoology  in  the  University  of 
Buenos  Aires,  and  has  made  important  contributions 
to  the  literature  of  the  natural  sciences.  In  speaking 
of  him  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  country  said 
that  he  represented  la  fleur  de  noire  jeunesse  doree. 
Under  his  guidance,  supported  adequately  by  the 
state,  there  is  a  brilliant  future  before  the  institution 
at  the  head  of  which  he  stands.  At  present  the  Museum 
is  at  a  transitional  point  in  its  history.  With  new  and 
well-designed  buildings  at  its  command,  with  the  wealth 
of  classic  material  already  in  its  possession,  it  is  des- 
tined under  the  guidance  of  its  accomplished  Director 
to  take  a  very  important  place  among  the  great  mu- 
seums of  the  world.  The  library  of  scientific  literature 
under  its  roof  is  ver}'-  large  and  rich.  In  fact  it  compares 
most  favorably  with  the  best  libraries  of  its  kind  any- 
where.    Scientific  men  require  access  to  books  in  order 


Lite  in   L.i  Plata  247 

to  the  prosecution  of  their  researches,  and  the  Museum 
in  Buenos  Aires  has  a  very  remarkable  collection, 
acquired  in  large  part  through  tlu>  labors  of  the  in- 
defatigable Burmeister,  whose  private  library  he  also 
bequeathed  to  the  institution. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  PRESENTATION  OF  THE  DIPLODOCUS 

"  Crowned  heads  of  Europe 
All  make  a  royal  fuss 
Over  Uncle  Andy 

And  his  old  diplodocus."— Co/Zege  Song. 

THE  work  of  setting  up  the  replica  in  the  Museum 
went  forward  from  week  to  week  quietly  and 
steadily.  It  is  not  altogether  an  easy  task  to  assemble 
such  a  specimen,  and  get  everything  into  place  without 
breakage.  It  requires  as  much  knowledge  and  expert- 
ness  as  would  be  called  for  in  setting  up  a  large  and  very 
complicated  machine.  "There  are  tricks  in  all  trades" 
and  the  trade  of  making  and  installing  dinosaurs  eighty 
and  more  feet  in  length  is  one  which  at  the  present  time 
is  known  and  understood  thoroughly  by  only  three 
persons,  two  of  whom  are  the  writer  and  his  assistant, 
Mr.  Coggeshall,  both  of  whom  have  had  more  experi- 
ence in  this  novel  kind  of  work  than  it  has  fallen  to  any 
other  mortals  to  acquire.  The  task  not  only  has  its 
difficulties,  but  also  its  dangers.  The  replica,  although 
not  nearly  as  hea\'y  as  the  original,  weighs  several 
tons.  The  first  thing  which  must  be  undertaken  is  to 
erect  a  strong  scaffolding,  and  to  provide  in  its  upper 
part  a  support  capable  of  carrying  a  heavy  weight. 
Directly  under  this  the  central  platform  or  base  is 
placed.     The  top  of  this  base  dare  not  be  put  into 

248 


President  Pefia. 


The   FVcsciUalion  ol  llic   Oipludcjcus    24^) 

position  until  the  skeleton  has  been  assembled,  because 
there  must  be  room  left  to  get  under  the  cross-beams,  so 
that  the  supports  which  are  destined  to  finally  bear 
the  specimen  may  be  adjusted  from  time  to  time  and 
the  bolts  which  hold  them  may  be  tightened.  Upon  the 
central  base  planking  is  laid,  and  on  this  the  vertebra? 
of  the  body,  or  barrel,  are  carefully  assembled  and  put 
into  position  upon  two  more  or  less  horizontal  steel 
rods.  WTien  all  has  been  carefully  adjusted  a  steel 
rope  is  bent  underneath  the  mass  in  such  a  way  as 
to  catch  the  temporary  supports  which  hold  the 
vertebrai,  and  the  whole  thing  is  tied  together.  The 
arrangement  of  the  details  is  too  comi)licatcd  to  make 
it  worth  while  to  attempt  to  describe  it  here.  The  next 
step  is  to  slowly  and  carefully  lift  the  mass  into  the  air 
to  the  height  of  alx3ut  fifteen  feet.  This  is  accomplished 
by  means  of  blocks  and  tackles  lowered  from  a  beam, 
which  generally  forms  a  part  of  the  scaffold  put  up  at 
the  outset,  and  is  strong  enough  to  carry  a  load  of  two 
or  three  tons.  In  La  Plata  we  were  fortunate  in  finding 
that  we  could  make  use  of  the  iron  beams  which  support 
the  ceiling  of  the  room.  After  the  backbone  of  the 
monster  has  been  lifted  high  into  the  air,  the  next  step 
is  to  screw  into  place  the  tall  supports  of  steel,  which 
enter  sockets  provided  at  the  pelvis  and  at  the  shoulders. 
When  this  has  been  accomplished,  the  next  step  is  slowly 
to  lower  the  mass  until  the  steel  uprights  drop  into  the 
sockets  prepared  in  the  base  to  receive  them,  where 
they  are  at  last  firmly  secured  by  nuts  and  washers. 
The  whole  operation  is  delicate  and  not  without  its 
dangers,  as  we  learned  at  St.  Petersburg.  Our  ex- 
perience there  is  never  to  be  forgotten,  and  I  trust 
may  never  be  repeated.  We  had  raised  the  vertebrae 
of  the  backbone  into  the  air.   Six  moujiks,  or  ordinary 


250         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

laborers,  were  stationed  at  intervals  holding  in  their 
hands  the  guy-ropes,  which  were  intended  to  steady 
the  mass  as  it  hung  in  its  proper  position  above  the 
base.  Mounted  on  a  tall  step-ladder  at  the  front  end 
of  the  thing  stood  my  assistant,  ready  to  help  mc  in 
the  task  of  screwing  the  forward  upright  into  position. 
I  had  lifted  the  heavy  steel  rod  from  the  floor  and  was 
carrying  it  forward  to  put  it  into  place,  when  the  door 
of  the  room  opened  and  a  company  of  distinguished 
visitors,  members  of  the  Imperial  Academy  of  Sciences, 
entered  the  room.  I  turned  at  the  instant  to  bow  to 
them,  still  holding  the  tall  bar  of  metal  in  my  hand, 
when  something  happened,  I  cannot  tell  what.  My 
belief  is  that  one  or  the  other  of  the  laborers,  who  had 
been  cautioned  neither  to  relax  his  hold,  or  to  give  a 
pull,  forgot  his  instructions  on  seeing  the  distinguished 
gentlemen  enter  the  room,  and  unconsciously  gave  a 
jerk  to  the  guy-rope  he  was  holding,  or  else  let  go.  The 
mass  turned  turtle  in  the  air,  the  forward  end  wrenched 
away  from  the  tackle-hook,  and  the  whole  thing  came 
down  to  the  floor  with  a  crash,  which  shook  the  building, 
and  made  the  portraits  of  the  Czars  and  Czarinas 
which  hung  about  the  walls  rattle,  as  if  there  had  been 
a  small  earthquake.  The  company  of  visitors  dis- 
appeared instantly,  looking,  as  they  fled,  as  they  might 
have  looked  had  a  bomb  been  exploded  in  the  hall. 
Their  precipitate  exit  almost  provoked  a  smile,  but 
the  temptation  to  laugh  was  instantly  overcome  by  the 
sight  of  the  ruin  which  confronted  me.  My  assistant 
came  to  my  side,  and  I  said  to  him:  "This  calamity 
is  irreparable!  Here  we  are  six  thousand  miles  from 
our  base  of  supplies.  There  are  no  duplicates  of  these 
pieces  at  home.  Even  if  there  were,  it  would  take  six 
weeks  to  get  them.     To  make  a  new  set,  and  send  them 


The  Presentation  of  the  l)i{)lodocus    251 

over  here  will  take  three  months.  We  cannot  spend 
half  a  year  waiting  in  this  country."  "Never  mind, 
Doctor!"  came  the  cheering  reply.  "I  cannot  tell 
you  how  I  am  relieved  to  have  you  standing  here  alive 
and  well.  I  thought  you  had  already  gone  in  under 
the  thing  being  intent  upon  watching  my  part  of  the 
job.  When  the  thing  fell,  I  thought  you  were  under 
it,  and  probably  crushed  to  death.  It  nearly  sickened 
me,  but  here  you  are,  thank  God!  Drive  these  people 
out  of  the  room,  all  of  them,  except  Petz,  the  prepara- 
tor,  who  can  help  us.  Let  us  take  account  of  stock. 
You  and  I  can  patch  up  the  d — d  thing,  so  that 
nobody  will  know  that  anything  has  happened."  I 
confess  that  at  the  moment  I  had  little  faith  in  tlie  pre- 
diction. Before  us  laid  a  mass  of  shattered  fragments. 
A  step-ladder  had  been  splintered  into  kindling-wood. 
The  cross-ties  of  the  base,  though  made  of  oak,  had 
been  broken,  as  if  chopped  through  with  an  ax.  I  al- 
most shuddered  to  think  what  would  have  happened  to 
me  had  I  taken  my  place  uix)n  them,  as  I  was  just  on 
the  jK)int  of  doing,  before  the  crash  came.  But  small 
as  was  my  faith  as  to  the  outcome,  it  wiis  at  all  events 
only  right  to  make  an  attempt  to  repair  the  damage. 
It  was  the  middle  of  the  month  of  June,  and  at  that 
time  of  year  St.  Petersburg  is  like  heaven — "there  is 
no  night  there."  We  could  work  from  early  morning 
until  ten  o'clock  at  night  without  artificial  light, — 
and  we  did.  We  gathered  up  the  pieces  large  and  small ; 
we  searched  for  contacts,  and,  as  we  found  them,  put 
the  bits  together  unth  that  strong  cement,  which  wc 
know  how  to  prepare.  It  was  a  most  tedious  under- 
taking. But  all  things  at  last  have  an  end.  \Mien  our 
task  was  completed,  after  a  week  had  l>ecn  consumed 
in  performing  it,   there  remained  only  as  many  tiny 


252         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

fragments  as  would  have  filled  the  hollow  of  a  man's 
hand  which  had  not  been  restored  to  their  places,  and 
almost  all  of  these  were  inside  pieces,  the  omission  of 
which  would  not  be  noticed,  and  which  in  fact  were 
already  replaced  by  cement.  When  the  work  was  done 
we  invited  Dr.  Tschernychew,  the  Director  of  the 
Museum,  to  examine  it,  and  he  expressed  his  entire 
satisfaction.  The  next  time  we  went  through  with  the 
task  of  swinging  the  big  thing  into  place  we  took  the 
precaution  to  lock  the  doors,  and  to  ask  some  of 
the  higher  officials  of  the  Museum  to  stand  by  the 
ropes.  Since  then  we  have  invented  a  contrivance, 
which  enables  us  to  dispense  with  the  assistance  of 
helpers,  and  makes  the  repetition  of  such  an  occurrence 
impossible,  as  we  believe. 

Everything  went  well  in  Argentina.  At  last  the 
replica  stood  in  place,  its  head  pointing  to  the  rotunda, 
and  we  were  able  to  tell  the  cabinet-makers  to  apply 
the  finishing  touches  to  the  beautiful  bases.  These  were 
made  of  the  wood  of  the  southern  walnut  [Juglans 
aiistralis)  which  resembles  the  lumber  of  our  own  black 
walnut,  but  appears  to  be  somewhat  denser,  finer 
grained,  and  not  quite  as  dark  in  color.  The  tree 
grows  on  the  foot-hills  of  the  Andes. 

Having  completed  the  work  of  installing  the  speci- 
men, it  became  my  duty,  as  the  representative  of  Mr. 
Carnegie,  to  report  to  the  President  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  errand  upon  which  I  had  been  sent.  I 
had  received  through  Mr.  Garrett,  the  Minister  of  the 
United  States,  an  intimation  that  it  would  be  the 
pleasure  of  the  President  to  receive  me  on  the  after- 
noon of  October  15th,  at  three  o'clock.  In  company 
with  Mr.  Garrett,  I  repaired  to  the  Executive  Mansion 
at  the  appointed  hour.     We  were  cordially  welcomed 


rhc  Presentation  of  the  Diplodocus    25.^ 

by  the  Secretary  of  the  President,  who  bade  us  he 
seated.  The  audience-room  is  a  tine  apartment,  alx)ul 
which  hung  portraits  of  former  Presidents  of  the  Re- 
pubHc.  President  Pena  immediately  entered  the  room, 
and  extended  cordial  siilutations  to  Mr.  Garrett,  who 
in  turn  presented  me.  The  President  gave  me  a  hearty 
grasp  of  the  hand,  and  expressed  his  pleasure  at  seeing 
a  friend  of  his  own  cherished  friend,  Mr.  Carnegie, 
whom  with  evident  pleasure  he  recalled  as  having  been 
one  of  his  colleagues  at  the  time  when  the  first  Pan- 
American  Congress  met  in  Washington  in  the  years 
i889-'90,  and  of  whom  he  spoke  in  terms  of  regard  and 
warm  admiration.  The  conversation  turned  upon  the 
nature  of  my  errand;  the  story  of  the  specimen  had  to 
be  briefly  told;  and  the  fact  that  it  had  been  duly 
installed  in  the  National  Museum  at  La  Plata  was 
mentioned.  The  President  called  my  attention  to  the 
fact  that  under  the  constitution  he  is  forbidden  to 
leave  the  capital,  without  going  through  the  formality 
of  turning  over  the  reins  of  government  for  the  time 
being  to  the  Vice-President,  even  for  so  short  a  journey 
as  that  to  La  Plata,  and  stated,  that,  had  it  not  been 
for  this,  he  would  have  gone  down  to  the  Museum  in 
person  to  accept  Mr.  Carnegie's  gift,  as  he  understood 
had  been  done  by  the  President  of  France,  the  Emperor 
of  Austria,  and  others.  He  asked  me  a  number  of 
questions  as  to  my  impressions  of  Argentina,  and  said 
he  hoped  that  my  stay  might  be  extended  long  enough 
to  enable  me  to  see  more  of  the  country  than  I  had  as 
yet  seen.  He  inquired  as  to  the  prospects  rtf  the  coming 
November  election  in  the  United  States,  without  expres- 
sing partiality  for  any  of  the  candidates  for  the  Presi- 
dency. He  spoke  of  the  Republic  of  the  North  in  terms 
of  good-will  and  generous  appreciation.     He  told  me  it 


254         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

was  his  intention  to  immediately  write  to  Mr.  Car- 
negie, thanking  him  for  his  present  to  the  Museum, 
which  he  w^as  pleased  to  accept  on  behalf  of  the  people 
of  Argentina.  The  interview,  which  naturally  was  not 
protracted,  was  marked  by  the  interchange  of  pleasant 
compliments  and  a  little  merriment  due  to  the  fact 
that  while  the  President  spoke  in  Spanish,  I  was  with 
his  gracious  consent  allowed  to  use  the  French  lan- 
guage, which  the  President  understands  perfectly,  but 
which  he  does  not  care  to  employ  w^hen  he  knows  that 
his  hearers  understand  the  language  of  Castile. 

It  was  pleasant  after  we  had  withdraw'n  to  hear  Mr. 
Garrett  remark  that  the  President  had  plainly  mani- 
fested greater  pleasure  and  interest  in  the  meeting  than 
he  had  known  him  to  show  on  any  similar  occasion. 

President  Pefia  is  a  man  of  fine  appearance,  tall,  and 
dignified  in  his  bearing.  He  had  gained  wide  experience 
in  the  service  of  his  coiintry  as  a  diplomat  before  his 
election  to  the  Presidency.  Throughout  his  administra- 
tion thus  far  he  has  proved  himself  to  be  a  most  capable 
and  efficient  head  of  the  Government.  His  father 
before  him  was  President  of  Argentina  from  the  years 
1 892-1 895.  He  therefore  came  to  his  present  exalted 
position  possessed  of  an  inherited  acquaintance  with 
the  requirements  of  the  office. 

Before  the  installation  of  the  replica  had  been  com- 
pleted we  were  informed  one  bright  morning  as  we 
entered  the  Museum  that  Dr.  Samuel  A.  Lafone- 
Quevedo,  the  Director,  had  returned  from  his  lengthy 
absence  in  Europe.  We  found  him  standing  with  a 
group  of  his  friends  in  the  rotunda  of  the  Museum,  and 
were  delighted  to  receive  from  him  such  a  cordial  and 
unaffectedly  hearty  greeting  as  only  he  know^s  how  to 
give.     "Don  Samuel,"  as  he  is  affectionately  called  by 


The  Presentation  o(  the  Diplodociis    255 

the  Staff  of  the  iiisiuuiion,  is  oi  EngHsh  extraction, 
and  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  Cambridge.  In 
spite  of  the  fact  that  he  has  seen  many  a  winter  pass 
over  his  head,  he  has  lost  none  of  the  spirit  of  the  boy, 
and  his  cheerful  humor  and  merry  laugh  are  contagious. 
There  was  no  stiff  formality  accompanying  our  intro- 
duction, but  we  instantly  were  made  to  feel  that  we 
were  friends,  and  as  such  taken  at  once  to  his  heart. 
Nothing  could  have  been  more  delightfully  frank  and 
free  than  his  reception  of  the  two  strangers,  who,  like  the 
Greeks  of  old,  had  invaded  his  domain,  bearing  not  a 
wooden  horse,  but  the  skeleton  of  a  still  more  fearsome 
beast;  a  beast,  nevertheless,  which  concealed  no  danger 
lurking  behind  its  ribs.  A  few  days  after  the  return  of 
the  good  Doctor,  I  was  approached  by  one  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Academy  of  Science,  who  requested  me  to 
make  no  engagements  for  the  evening  of  the  15th 
of  October,  because  at  that  time  the  Academy  had 
resolved  to  have  me  as  their  guest  at  a  function  to  which 
I  might  expect  shortly  to  receive  a  formal  in\itation. 
This  in  due  time  came  to  hand.  On  the  evening  of  the 
same  day  upon  which  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting 
the  President  in  Buenos  Aires,  I  repaired  according  to 
the  invitation  to  the  S|X)rtsman's  Hotel  in  La  Plata, 
where  the  large  dining-room  on  the  upper  floor  had  been 
made  ready,  and  where  were  gathered  the  members  of 
the  Academy  of  Science,  including  the  entire  Faculty 
of  the  Museum.  Greetings  were  exchanged  with  the 
company  of  distinguished  men,  all  of  whom  I  had 
already  come  to  cherish  in  my  thought  as' true  friends. 
Then  we  found  our  places  at  the  table,  the  decorations 
of  which  were  at  once  beautiful  and  provocative  of 
mirth.  There  were  flowers,  beautiful  flowers,  and  in 
the  center  of  the  table  was  a  model  of  the  r)ii)lodocus, 


256 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


fully  five  feet  in  length,  which  I  had  already  seen  in  the 
Museum.  Little  did  my  friend,  the  artist,  Charles  R. 
Knight,  imagine,  when  he  was  making  this  model,  that 
it  was  to  serve  as  the  center-piece  at  a  banquet  to  be 
given  to  one  of  his  acquaintances  in  far-away  Argentina. 
There  were  two  menus  beside  each  cover,  one  intended 
to  be  taken  seriously,  not  so  the  other.  The  latter 
claimed  the  most  attention.  It  is  worthy  of  being  here 
reproduced,  as  it  was  the  next  day  in  all  the  papers  of 
the  Capital. 

MENU. 

HORS   D  '(EUVRES. 

Sauteme.  Canape  Multimillionaire. 

POT AGE . 

Creme  loess  pampeano. 

POISSON. 

Filet  de  Lepidosiren  a  la  Papa  Roth. 

RELEVE. 

Margaux.  Petites  bouchees  k  la  Don  Samuel. 

ENTREES. 

Grande  piece  Diplodocus  a  la  Holland. 

LEGUMES. 

Calamites  Sauce  Nagelschmied.' 

ROTI. 

Phororhacus  Bruche^  au  cresson. 

ENTREMETS. 

Champagne 

Carte  blanche.   Pudding  diplomatique  See  groseille. 
Bavaroise  Panachee. 

Moka.         Cigarres. 

'  Nagelschmied  =Herrero-Ducloux,  a  pun  for  which  the  author  should 
be  compelled  to  do  long  penance. 

'  A  veiled  reference  to  Professor  Carlos  Bruch,  an  equally  horrible  pun. 


The  Presentation  of  the  Uiplodocus    257 

Unfortunately  the  illustration  at  the  head  of  the  menu 
and  which  represented  the  features  of  the  Founder  of  the 
Carnegie  Institute,  surrounded  by  a  wreath  constructed 
of  the  bones  of  the  Diplodocus,  I  must  omit,  because 
of  the  limitations  of  space. 

We  were  a  merry  and  a  very  cosmopolitan  company. 
The  scholarship  of  Argentina,  of  England,  Germany, 
France,  Switzerland,  Spain,  and  Italy  was  represented 
at  the  table  by  men,  some  of  whom  had  been  bom  in 
these  countries,  and  all  of  whom  had  received  their 
early  training  in  the  universities  of  one  or  the  other  of 
these  lands.  All,  except  the  WTiter,  were  citizens  of  the 
Republic  which  floats  the  white  and  blue  flag.  All 
were  men  who  had  done  things  worth  the  doing.  The 
dinner  was  excellent ;  mine  host  Salvadori  had  excelled 
himself.  WTien  we  came  to  the  cigars  Dr.  Lafone- 
Quevedo  rose  and  in  a  graceful  speech  expressed  the 
gratitude  which  was  felt  by  the  Academy  of  Science 
of  the  University  of  La  Plata,  which  is  charged  with 
the  administration  of  the  affairs  of  the  National  Mu- 
seum, for  the  recent  gift  of  Mr.  Carnegie,  and  proposed 
the  health  of  that  generous  citizen  of  the  United  States 
of  North  America  and  his  representative,  the  guest  of 
the  evening.  Wlien  this  had  been  done,  the  speaker 
announced  that  he  had  still  another  duty  to  perform 
before  he  took  his  seat,  and  that  was  to  welcome  the 
).Must  of  the  evening  into  the  ranks  of  the  Honorary' 
Mrmbership  of  the  Academy  of  Science  of  I^  Plata, 
and  handed  to  the  writer  a  diploma  certifying  to  his 
election.  The  writer  replied  by  expressing  his  deep 
sense  of  the  distinguished  and  altogether  unexpected 
honor  which  had  been  conferred  u\K>n  him,  and  which 
he  accepted  as  a  highly  prized  token  of  good-will,  but 
much  more  as  a  token  of  esteem  for  his  distinguished 


258         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

fellow-countryman,  whom  he  had  the  honor  of  repre- 
senting. Allusion  was  made  to  the  bonds  of  friendship, 
ever  increasing  in  number,  which  unite  the  men  of  the 
two  Americas,  and  the  writer  concluded  by  proposing 
the  health  of  the  President  of  Argentina,  the  long 
life  and  prosperity  of  the  Academy  of  Science,  and 
sempiternal  success  to  the  honest  efforts  of  thinking 
men  in  all  lands  and  under  all  skies  to  bring  about  the 
reign  of  peace  and  friendship  among  men. 

As  the  first  steamer  for  New  York,  upon  which  we 
were  able  to  secure  accommodations  for  our  return, 
would  not  sail  until  October  26th,  leaving  a  period  of 
ten  days  at  my  disposal  in  which  to  make  an  attempt 
to  see  a  little  more  of  the  country,  I  resolved  to  make 
an  excursion  westward  and  obtain  a  glimpse  of  the 
Andes.  Mr.  Garrett  invited  me  to  accompany  him  on 
an  excursion,  which  he  had  already  arranged  to  take 
from  Buenos  Aires  to  Valparaiso  and  thence  southward, 
returning  by  way  of  the  Strait  of  Magellan.  Nothing 
would  have  given  me  greater  pleasure  than  to  have 
accepted  the  opportunity  to  make  this  tour  in  such 
pleasant  company,  but  I  decided  that  it  would  be 
inexpedient  for  me  to  undertake  the  journey,  as  my 
return  to  New  York  would  thus  be  delayed  for  a 
month.  Meanwhile  I  received  an  invitation  to  partake 
of  the  hospitality  of  the  University  of  La  Plata  at  a 
banquet  to  be  tendered  to  me  at  the  Jockey  Club  in 
Buenos  Aires  on  the  evening  of  October  24th,  at  which 
I  was  informed  that  the  Faculties  of  the  two  Universi- 
ties of  La  Plata  and  Buenos  Aires  would  unite  in 
recognizing  in  this  way  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Carnegie 
to  the  nation.  I  resolved  after  careful  consideration  to 
content  myself  with  an  excursion  to  Tucuman.  This 
would  give  me  an  opportunity  to  see  a  wide  extent  of 


The  Presentation  of  the  Diplodocus    259 

the  country,  take  me  to  a  spot  of  great  historic  interest, 
and  give  me  a  gHmpse  of  the  Cordilleras.  I  left  to  my 
obliging  assistant  the  task  of  packing  up  the  specimens 
intended  for  the  Carnegie  Museum,  which  had  been 
presented  to  us  by  the  authorities  of  the  University, 
and  betaking  myself  to  Buenos  Aires,  made  my  arrange- 
ments for  the  journey. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

A  TRIP  TO  TUCUMAN 

"Then  we  gather  as  we  travel 
Bits  of  moss  and  dirty  gravel, 
And  we  chip  off  little  specimens  of  stone, 
And  we  carry  home  as  prizes 
Funny  bugs  of  handy  sizes, 
Just  to  give  the  day  a  scientific  tone." — C.  E.  Carryl. 

THE  "Tucuman  Limited"  leaves  the  Retire  Station 
in  Buenos  Aires  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
A  few  minutes  before  the  time  of  departure  I  boarded 
the  train  and  settled  myself  in  my  compartment.  The 
day  was  bright  and  cool.  There  were  many  people 
upon  the  platform,  some  of  whom  had  evidently  come 
to  say  farewell  to  their  friends;  newsboys  were  crying 
their  wares ;  venders  of  sweetmeats  and  fruits  sauntered 
along  under  the  windows  of  the  cars,  displaying  the 
contents  of  their  baskets,  and  soliciting  purchases; 
officials  in  uniform  were  bustling  hither  and  thither; 
workmen  in  blue  overalls  were  opening  and  shutting 
the  axle-boxes,  and  were  followed  by  men  with  hammers 
who  tested  the  wheels  with  resounding  taps.  It  was 
evident  that  the  departure  of  the  "Limited"  was  a  more 
or  less  important  event  in  the  daily  routine  of  the  little 
railway  world,  which  held  the  stage  for  the  moment. 
At  last  the  conductor  took  his  whistle  from  his  pocket 
and   blew   shrilly,   then   called   out,    "Aboard!"     The 

260 


El  Tigre.     A  Favorite  Pleasure  Resort  near  Buenos  Aires. 


Tucuman.     The  Ancient  Capital. 


A  Trip  to  TucLiman  2U1 

train  began  to  move,  there  were  waving  handkerchiefs, 
parting  siUutations,  and  in  the  eyes  of  a  few  of  those  who 
were  left  behind  there  were  tears,  the  cause  of  which  it 
was  left  to  fancy  to  surmise. 

.'\s  the  run  from  Buenos  ^Xires  to  Tucuman  of  eleven 
hundred  and  fifty-six  kilometers,  equivalent  to  seven 
hundred  and  twelve  miles,  is  scheduled  to  be  made  in  a 
little  more  than  twenty-four  hours,  the  motion  of  the 
train  was  not  laggard.  We  quickly  passed  through  the 
crowded  yards  of  the  terminal,  made  a  short  stop  at 
Belgrano,  the  fashionable  northern  suburb,  and  then 
settled  down  to  a  steady  gait  of  forty-five  miles  an 
hour.  The  train  was  vestibuled,  made  up  of  four 
sleeping-cars,  a  dining-car,  a  mail-car,  and  a  baggage- 
car.  The  cars  were  almost  as  large  as  those  in  use  in 
the  United  States,  and  precisely  similar  in  their  appoint- 
ments to  the  wagon-lits  in  vogue  on  the  International 
Expresses  in  Europe. 

We  glided  by  villas  and  gardens  sloping  toward  the 
river;  we  slipped  past  the  Junction  leading  to  El  Tigre; 
and  then  found  ourselves  out  upon  the  uide  pampas. 
To  the  right  in  the  distance  a  low  fringe  of  willows 
and  poplars  along  the  horizon  indicated  the  bank  of' the 
River  Parana,  which  the  railway  more  or  less  closely 
parallels  from  Buenos  Aires  to  Rosario.  There  arc 
four  tracks  on  the  road-bed  between  the  two  cities,  and 
the  time  made  over  this  stretch  was  quicker  than  on  any 
other  portion  of  our  journey.  The  track  is  level,  for 
long  distances  straight,  and  very  well  laid,  so  that  fast 
running  was  in  order.  On  either  side  of  the  track  were 
fields  of  grain,  and  expanses  of  pasture-land.  The 
country  gave  the  impression  of  being  carefully  tilled. 
The  fields  were  neat,  the  fencing  in  good  order.  The 
corn,  or  maize,   which   was  just   appearing  above  the 


262         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

soil,  had  been  regularly  planted,  and  looked  flourishing. 
There  were  square  leagues  devoted  to  alfalfa.  Finer 
fields  of  this  useful  plant  are  not  to  be  seen  anywhere. 
Now  and  then  we  caught  sight  of  ranch-houses,  their 
white  walls  peeping  out  from  among  the  dark  green  of 
the  eucalyptus-groves,  by  which  they  were  surrounded. 
The  whole  landscape  was  dotted  with  herds  of  short- 
horns, and  great  flocks  of  sheep.  As  we  came  nearer  to 
Rosario  wheat-fields  became  more  numerous.  On  the 
right,  as  we  went  along,  we  occasionally  saw  towering 
above  the  fringe  of  willows  the  masts  of  ships  or  the 
funnels  of  steamers  going  or  coming  on  the  way  to 
Rosario.  Now  and  then  tall  chimneys  and  high  roofs 
indicated  the  location  on  the  banks  of  the  stream  of 
some  great  packing-house,  or  frigorifico,  where  meat  is 
frozen  for  export  to  the  European  markets. 

Our  first  stop  was  made  at  Campana,  where  the 
locomotive-driver  replenished  his  water-tank.  The 
system  of  taking  water  while  the  train  is  in  flight,  long 
in  use  upon  some  of  the  North  American  railways,  does 
not  appear  as  yet  to  have  been  introduced  into  Argen- 
tina. At  all  events  I  did  not  observe  that  it  is  employed 
on  any  of  the  roads  upon  which  I  traveled. 

In  the  ditches  which  we  crossed  as  the  train  dashed 
forward  I  caught  glimpses  now  and  then  of  cormorants 
fishing  in  the  shallow  pools.  Here  and  there  a  heron 
sailed  away  into  the  skies.  I  was  interested  in  observ- 
ing that  the  Scissor-tailed  Fly-catcher  {Milvulus 
tyr annus)  was  quite  common  in  the  region.  This  bird, 
which  is  related  to  our  common  King-bird,  differs  from 
the  latter  in  having  a  long  forked  tail,  the  two  outer 
feathers  of  which  trail  behind  like  ribbons  as  it  flies. 
Just  as  it  alights  upon  the  top  of  the  thistles  or  the 
fence-posts  it  appears  to  have  the  habit  of  spreading  its 


A  Trip  to    rucLinian 


26; 


tail  in  the  form  of  the  lotter  \'.  Its  singular  apjx'ar- 
ance  at  once  attracted  attention.  It  is  said  to  possess 
the  same  intrepid  and  pugnacious  disposition  which 
characterizes  the  King-bird,  and  will  fearlessly  attack 
hawks,  or  other  predaccous  birds,  and  harry  them, 
until  they  fly  away,  screaming  for  mercy.  The  Tcru- 
teru,  or  Argentine  Lapwing,  was  everywhere  to  be 
seen,  standing  in  quiet 
contemplation  upon 
one  leg,  or  else  rapidly 
running  about,  or 
standing  and  fla})ping 
its  black  and  white 
wings,  much  as  a  hack- 
man  on  a  cold  winter 
day  will  wave  his  arms 
and  beat  his  shoulders 
to  restore  circulation. 
What  the  object  of  this 
action  on  the  part  of 
the  bird  may  be  I  do 
not  know. 

The  train  was  mov- 
ing too  rapidly  most  of 
the  time  to  allow  me, 
though  I  strained  my  eyes,  to  make  out  the  flower- 
ing plants  which  here  and  there  were  blooming  along- 
side of  the  track.  I  noted  thickets  of  fennel, 
cardoon,  and  poison  hemlock  completely  filling  for 
long  distances  the  right-of-way  between  the  ends  of  the 
ties,  and  the  wire-fences  which  separate  the  property  of 
the  railroad  from  the  adjoining  land.  A  few  miserable 
specimens  of  Erythrina  crista^alli,  which  survived  on 
the  edge  of   a  pool,  which  the    railway  at  one  point 


Fig.  26 — Scissor  -  tailc<1    Fly  -  catcher 
{Mtlttilus  tyrannus).     k  nat.  size 


264        To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

skirted,  were  in  blossom;  and  I  could  imagine  how  fine 
must  be  the  appearance  of  the  great  river-marshes, 
where  this  plant  still  survives,  when  they  are  covered 
by  its  bloom. 

As  the  sun  mounted  toward  the  zenith,  and  the 
noonday  heat  became  intense,  I  noticed  that  mirages 
sprang  up  in  the  distance.  Ranch-houses  and  groves 
appeared  above  the  horizon-line  with  reversed  outlines, 
as  if  reflected  from  the  borders  of  a  lake.  Great 
shining  sheets  of  water  seemed  to  spread  over  the  land- 
scape. The  illusion  was  perfect.  My  attention  was 
called  to  another  optical  illusion,  which  for  an  instant 
puzzled  me.  In  the  middle  distance,  and  in  fact  quite 
near  at  hand  ahead  of  the  train,  I  observed  what  ap- 
peared to  be  broad  reaches  of  blue  water,  filled  with 
low  marsh-plants.  When  I  first  saw  this,  I  did  not 
think  anything  about  the  matter,  believing  that  what 
I  beheld  was  what  my  eyes  taught  me  to  see,  but  when 
the  train  reached  the  spot  where  I  had  seen  the  water, 
and  where  from  appearances  we  ought  to  have  been 
running  over  piles  through  a  marsh,  I  discovered  that 
the  ground  was  solid.  A  little  reflection  revealed  the 
cause  of  the  illusion.  The  land  for  square  leagues  was 
sown  with  flax,  and  it  was  in  flower.  The  lines  of 
LxDngfellow  came  back  to  memory: 

**  Blue  were  her  eyes  as  the  fairy  flax." 

The  great  sheets  of  water,  which  I  had  seen,  were  the 
pampas  covered  with  the  bloom  of  the  lowly  plant, 
millions  of  acres  of  which  are  annually  sown  in  Ar- 
gentina, not  for  the  sake  of  the  fiber,  but  for  the  sake  of 
the  seed.  Linseed  is  a  standard  article  of  export. 
Such  fields  of  flax  I  had  never  seen  before,  and  unless  it 


A  Trip  to  Tucuiiian  265 

be  in  our  own  northwest,  or  upon  the  steppes  of  Russia, 
such  fields  of  this  plant  do  not  occur  elsewhere  upon  our 
globe.  One  field  of  flax  I  saw  was  said  to  cover  over 
fifteen  thousand  acres. 

At  lunch-time  I  went  forward  to  the  dining-car,  and 
found  that  I  had  been  assigned  a  seat  at  table  with 
three  young  gentlemen,  who  informed  me  that  they 
were  students  in  the  University  of  Buenos  Aires,  and 
were  on  their  way  to  their  home  in  the  city  of  Salta. 
having  been  suddenly  summoned  thither  by  the  death 
of  a  relative.  They  proved  to  be  intelligent  and 
agreeable  young  men,  with  whom  it  was  a  pleasure  to 
converse  during  and  after  luncheon,  and  who  told  me 
much  which  interested  me  concerning  that  part  of  the 
country  in  which  they  lived.  The  elder  of  the  three  was 
evidently  responsible  to  some  extent  for  the  care  of  his 
two  younger  companions,  and  the  sensible  and  fraternal 
way  in  which  he  discharged  his  duties  attracted  me  to 
him. 

We  made  a  short  stay  at  San  Nicolas  about  half- 
past  two  in  the  afternoon.  The  place  is  the  point  of 
junction  of  a  branch-line  of  the  railway,  and  the  site  of 
packing-houses  and  grain-elevators.  There  were  several 
large  vessels  alongside  of  the  latter. 

We  reached  Rosario  at  a  quarter  before  four  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  and  remained  fifteen  minutes,  during 
which  a  change  of  engines  was  made.  The  railway- 
terminal  is  at  some  remove  from  the  more  densely  built- 
up  portions  of  the  city.  I  walked  out  into  the  ojx^n 
space  in  front  of  the  station,  where  tram-cars  and  cab- 
men were  congregated.  As  the  sunlight  fell  upon  the 
walls  and  towers  of  the  central  portions  of  the  town,  I 
realized  that  it  perhaps  had  been  a  mistake  on  my  part 
not  to  have  included  it  in  my  list  of  stopping-places. 


266        To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

and  subsequently,  when  I  met  on  the  train  an  en- 
thusiastic resident  of  the  town  and  fell  into  conversation 
with  him,  I  had  the  sin  of  my  omission  more  vividly 
impressed  upon  me.  He  is  a  banker  in  Rosario  and 
did  not  hesitate  to  inform  me  in  a  good-natured  way 
that  for  a  gentleman  from  North  America  to  have 
come  so  near  one  of  the  really  great  commercial  centers 
of  South  America,  and  only  to  have  peeped  at  it  from 
the  railway-station,  was  a  very  singular  procedure. 
I  could  only  retort  by  saying,  ''Eh  hien!  I  have  been  in 
Paris  four  times  during  the  past  three  years,  and  each 
time  only  stayed  long  enough  to  get  breakfast  and 
change  cars. " 

When  leaving  Rosario  the  locomotive  was  attached  to 
what  had  been  the  rear  of  our  train  in  coming  up  from 
Buenos  Aires,  and  the  window  of  my  compartment 
henceforth  faced  to  the  east  and  not  to  the  west,  as  it 
had  up  to  this  time.  As  the  sun  gradually  declined  I 
watched  the  shadow  of  the  train  creep  out  over  the 
level  plain.  I  have  crossed  the  prairies  of  Minnesota 
and  the  Dakotas,  of  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  of  Manitoba 
and  Alberta ;  I  have  traveled  over  the  steppes  of  Russia ; 
but  in  none  of  them  have  I  seen  such  absolutely  level 
lands  as  those  which  lie  between  Rosario  and  Irigoyen. 
The  horizon  is  that  of  the  ocean;  an  upturned  clod 
attracts  attention;  a  hut  looks  like  a  house;  a  tree 
looms  up  like  a  hill.  After  leaving  Rosario  stops  became 
more  frequent.  Just  after  one  of  these,  as  the  train 
was  slowly  beginning  to  get  under  way  again,  we  came 
up  to  a  herd  of  cattle  on  the  road  alongside  of  the  rail- 
way track;  a  young  woman  on  horseback  was  trying 
to  drive  them  toward  the  village  we  were  leaving.  For 
some  reason  or  other  the  horse  she  was  riding  took 
fright.     He  reared  and  plunged  and  began  to  buck,  but 


A    I'rijj  lu    lucuniaii  207 

I  he  ^irl  sat  her  saddk'.  1  leaned  out  of  the  window  to 
watch  the  exciting  scene,  and  when  I  caught  the  hist 
glimpse  of  her  she  was  evidently  getting  the  mastery 
of  her  unwilling  mount.  Her  skill  and  pluck  were 
equal  to  those  of  any  guacho. 

The  sunset  came  with  a  glory  too  rich  for  words  or 
palette  to  depict.  Huge  clouds  hung  in  the  eastern 
sky  above  the  dark  emerald  green  of  the  horizon.  As 
the  sun  went  down  all  the  colors  of  the  spectrum  were 
revealed  in  the  heavens.  The  clouds  which  had  been 
white  became  yellow,  then  pink,  then  orange,  then 
crimson;  between  their  soaring  masses  the  sky  ranged 
from  apple-green  near  the  horizon  to  the  deepest  cobalt 
in  the  vault  above.  The  glory  of  the  sky  was  reflected 
upon  the  land.  The  green  of  the  leagues  of  growing 
grain  was  reddened  and  transformed  into  a  rich  olive 
tint,  the  plowed  fields  became  russet  touched  with 
gold.  The  dull  uniformity  of  the  landscape  seemed  to 
1x3  lost  in  the  weltering  si)lcndor  of  the  dying  day,  and 
when  the  sun  had  set,  and  the  world  below  grew  dark, 
the  glory  still  lingered  among  the  pinnacles  of  the 
clouds  high  overhead.  When  at  last  deep  night  had 
fallen,  from  the  damp  herbage  rose  the  firc-flics.  In 
places  they  fairly  swarmed,  and  apjx'ared  to  be  larger 
and  to  emit  a  stronger  light  than  the  six?cies  we  know- 
in  the  United  States.  From  their  flight  I  judged  them 
to  be  true  Lampyrids,  l)elonging  to  the  siune  group  of 
insects  which  we  know  in  the  United  States,  not  the 
Elater  noctilucus  of  the  tropics,  the  "mooney"  of  the 
Jamaican  negnx'S,  which  I  subsequently  saw  on  my 
jouniey,  and  which  gives  forth  a  different  glow. 

Having  been  reminded  that  the  dinner  hour  had  come. 
I  repaired  to  the  dining-car  and  found  myself  placed 
opposite  to  a  young  lady,  beside  whom  a  stout  gentle- 


268 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


man,  who  came  in  a  few  moments  later,  seated  himself. 
I  ventured  to  converse  with  the  latter,  and  he  informed 
me  that  he  was  a  Bolivian  on  his  way  home  to  La  Paz 
by  way  of  Salta  and  Jujuy.  While  we  sat  and  talked 
the  lady  never  uttered  a  sound,  and  accepted  what  was 
placed  before  her,  as  course  followed  course,  without 
note  or  comment.  She  seemed  to  me  to  be  in  trouble, 
but  I  did  not  venture  to  speak  to  her.  At  last  my 
Bolivian  acquaintance  rose  to  leave  the  table,  and  I 
was  about  to  follow  his  example,  when  the  young  lady 
broke  her  silence  by  saying  to  me,  "Dear  sir,  are  you 
an  Englishman?"  I  replied,  "Not  exactly,  but  I  come 
very  near  to  being  one.  I  am  an  American — a  North 
American."  "Oh!"  she  said,  "I  have  always  heard 
that  your  people  are  horrid.  They  teach  us  that  in 
Argentina,  among  the  circles  in  which  I  move;  but  you 
do  not  look  as  if  you  could  be  unkind. "  With  that  she 
handed  me  a  card,  telling  me  that  it  was  her  father's 
card.  I  glanced  at  it  and  recognized  that  it  was  the 
card  of  a  man  who  held  a  responsible  position  in  a  great 
firm  in  Buenos  Aires.  "I  am  in  deep  trouble,"  she 
went  on  to  say.  "My  father,  whose  card  I  have  given 
you,  brought  me  to  the  train  this  morning  and  saw  me 
off.  I  had  a  compartment,  which  I  supposed  I  would 
occupy  alone  on  my  journey  to  Tucuman,  whither  I  am 
going  without  escort,  to  meet  friends  who  live  there. 
I  do  not  speak  a  word  of  Spanish.  After  we  were  under 
way  a  woman  was  brought  and  put  into  the  compart- 
ment with  me.  I  did  not  object,  but  presently  she 
produced  a  bottle  or  two  from  her  belongings,  and  since 
the  middle  of  the  afternoon  she  has  been  in  a  state  of 
complete  intoxication.  At  Rosario  they  put  two  other 
\\-omen  into  the  compartment  to  occupy  the  upper 
berths.     Of   these  women   I   cannot   tell   you   what   I 


A    Irij)  to    rucuiiian  2(>9 

think,  but  they  evidently  are  not  ladies,  and  thrir 
conduct  since  they  came  on  board  has  been  simj^ly 
shocking.  I  tried  to  explain  to  the  conductor  that  he 
must  provide  me  a  place  away  from  this  dreadful 
company  in  which  I  find  myself,  but  he  does  not  under- 
stand English  or  French,  Will  you  not  help  me?" 
I  at  once  sent  for  the  conductor  and  told  him  that  he 
must  promptly  make  arrangements  to  give  the  young 
woman  a  place  in  a  compartment  where  she  would  not 
be  annoyed.  I  explained  to  him  the  circumstances,  and 
told  him  that  unless  something  was  done  immediately 
I  would  report  the  matter  to  the  railway  authorities. 
He  presently  came  back  to  the  dining-car  and  informed 
me  that  the  wife  of  one  of  the  inspectors  of  the  railway, 
who  occupied  a  compartment  by  herself,  a  seiiora  jnuy 
respetable,  was  willing  to  give  shelter  to  my  acquain- 
tance, and  allow  her  to  occupy  the  upper  berth.  I 
went  back  to  the  car  in  which  she  was,  in  order  to  act 
as  interpreter  in  case  of  necessity,  and  being  confronted 
by  her  three  companions,  who  were  holding  a  levee  in 
the  compartment  with  half  a  dozen  male  acquaintances, 
I  realized  that  she  had  only  too  good  reason  for  appeal- 
ing to  me.  I  said  a  few  stem  words  to  the  disorderly 
crowd,  which  caused  the  men  to  slink  away  for  the 
moment.  The  moral  of  the  incident  is  simply  this: 
that  it  is  inadvisable  and  may  be  inexpressibly  uncom- 
fortable for  a  woman  to  travel  in  these  lands  without 
escort,  and  particularly  when  unacquainted  with  the 
language.  I  did  not  see  the  young  Englishwoman  until 
about  noon  the  next  day,  when,  as  I  was  alighting  from 
the  train,  she  came  up  to  me  on  the  platform  of  the 
railway  station  at  Tuaimdn,  and  thanked  me  for  having 
intervened  on  her  behalf. 

When   the  dawn  came  on   the  following  morning  a 


270         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

change  had  taken  place  in  the  landscape.  The  country 
was  no  longer  as  flat  as  it  had  seemed  throughout  the 
whole  of  the  preceding  day,  but  was  gently  undulating. 
The  vegetation  was  different.  There  were  on  all  sides 
thorny  thickets,  and  low  forest  growths.  I  recognized 
various  species  of  acacia  and  mimosa.  Prosopis  alba, 
with  its  feathery  leaves,  and  the  "chanar"-tree  {Goiir- 
liea  decorticans)  were  common.  Here  and  there  a  few 
specimens  of  the  quebracho-tree  had  escaped  the 
clutches  of  the  "wood-butchers,"  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  they  were  growing  near  the  line  of  the  railway. 
The  quebracho  Colorado  {Schinopsis  Lorentzii)  is  one 
of  the  notable  trees  of  the  country.  Out  of  its  almost 
imperishable  wood,  which  is  nearly  as  hard  as  ebony, 
are  made  the  railroad-ties  for  the  various  lines,  which 
are  gridironing  the  southern  continent.  Latterly  it  is 
being  used  for  the  manufacture  of  tannin.  About 
twenty-five  per  cent,  of  the  substance  of  the  tree  is 
tannin,  and  this  is  being  extracted  in  huge  quantities, 
and  the  noble  trees  are  disappearing  as  fast  as  they  can 
be  cut  down  and  their  wood  chewed  up  by  powerful 
machinery  and  the  tannin  separated.  The  bulk  of  the 
extract  is  exported  to  the  United  States,  though  Ger- 
many and  Great  Britain  are  also  large  consumers 
of  the  product.  The  name  quebracho — "break-ax" — 
was  given  to  the  tree  because  of  the  hardness  of  its 
wood.  There  are  other  trees  to  which  the  same  name 
has  been  given  by  the  natives,  and  one  of  these  the 
ciuebracho  bianco  {Aspidosperma  quebracho),  the  bark 
of  which  contains  certain  alkaloids  reputed  to  possess 
medicinal  properties,  is  also  one  of  the  common  trees  of 
the  semi-forested  belt  through  which  our  train  was 
passing.  But  more  striking  than  any  of  the  growths  I 
have  mentioned  were  the  giant  cacti.     Many  of  these 


A  Tiij)  to  'rucuiuaii 


271 


were  fully  forty  or  more  feet  in  height.  At  the  ground 
they  appeared  lo  be  from  two  to  three  feet  in  diameter, 
:ind  then  rapidl>-  branching,  sent  up  huge  candelabra- 
like  tops,  which  were  covered  with  large  starry  flowers, 
some  white,  some  yellow,  some  crimson.  There  were 
evidently  a  number  of  species.  These  growths  were 
in  many  places  being  cut  down  and  burned  up  to  make 
way  for  the  planting  of  alfalfa.  I  saw  the  Italian 
laborers  at  work  in  the  clearings,  and  here,  there, 
everywhere,  columns  of  smoke  could  be  seen  ascending 
from  the  midst  of  the  forest  just  as  I  used  to  see  them 
when  I  was  a  child  in  the  Middle  West  of  our  own 
country.  What  would  not  the  people  of  Ohio,  Indiana, 
and  Kentucky  now  give  if  they  could  only  recall  to  the 
land  the  growths  of  trees  which  once  covered  it  ?  The 
sight  of  these  giants  of  their  race  being  hacked  down  and 
destroyed  impelled  me  on  my  return  to  Buenos  Aires 
to  suggest  to  Seiior  Ramos  Mejia,  the  Minister  of 
Public  Works,  that  there  ought  to  be  steps  taken  to 
make  a  reservation  of  a  large  tract  of  this  interesting 
region,  easily  accessible  from  the  railway,  so  that  future 
generations  of  Argentinos  might  know  what  the  land 
was  like  when  the  fathers  first  invaded  it.  He  admitted 
the  desirability  of  such  a  stej),  but  siiid,  "The  General 
Government  possesses  no  claim  to  the  lands  within  the 
limits  of  the  organized  Provinces.  We  have  followed 
the  example  of  your  country.  The  United  States  of 
North  America  cannot  set  up  'forest  reservations'  in 
Pennsylvania.  If  such  reservations  are  made  it  must 
be  by  the  Province."  Thus  the  matter  rests.  I  hojx*, 
however,  that  the  Provinces,  if  not  the  General  Govern- 
ment of  Argentina,  may  not  fail  in  the  near  future  to 
take  steps  to  preserve  at  least  some  small  portions  of  the 
primaeval  forests  in  their  native  wildness. 


272         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

At  La  Banda  there  was  a  short  stay  made.  This  is 
the  point  where  passengers  bound  for  Santiago,  the 
capital  of  the  Province  of  Santiago  del  Estero,  change 
cars.  Here  there  were  extensive  irrigation  ditches,  and 
the  work  of  reclaiming  the  land  in  the  neighborhood 
appears  to  be  progressing.  The  soil  is  very  red,  and 
seemed  to  be  somewhat  impregnated  with  iron.  It  did 
not  appear  very  fertile  to  me,  but  I  observed  that  along 
the  irrigation  canals  a  rank  growth  of  vegetation  oc- 
curred, so  that  it  no  doubt  possesses  more  agricultural 
value  than  at  first  sight  it  suggests.  The  ride  during  the 
remainder  of  the  forenoon  was  hot  and  rather  dusty. 
We  were  behind  time,  owing  to  some  detention  which 
had  taken  place  during  the  night,  and  we  did  not  reach 
Tucuman  until  noon.  The  approach  was  interesting. 
We  left  the  thorny  forests  behind  us,  and  found  our- 
selves in  a  wide  and  evidently  very  fertile  plain,  given 
over  almost  entirely  to  the  cultivation  of  sugar-cane, 
which  was  just  springing  up.  The  fields  seemed  to  be  very 
carefully  tilled  and  the  young  canes  were  in  fine  condition. 
Ahead  of  us  were  the  blue  slopes  of  the  Cordilleras,  their 
tops  veiled  in  clouds.  Just  at  their  feet  rose  the  towers 
and  white  walls  of  Tucuman.  The  tall  chimneys  of  the 
sugar-factories  are  a  striking  feature  of  the  landscape. 

I  had  taken  pains  to  make  inquiries  of  several 
persons  on  the  train  in  regard  to  hotel  accommodations 
in  Tucuman,  and  found  that  all  agreed  that  the  best 
hotel  in  the  city  was  one  which  had  only  recently  been 
built,  and  which  I  was  informed  represented  the  last 
word  in  the  architecture  and  furnishing  of  such  a  house. 
At  the  station  I  promptly  surrendered  my  valise  to  the 
custody  of  a  young  man,  who  wore  a  cap  upon  the  band 
of  which  the  name  of  this  hotel  appeared.  He  did  not 
seem  averse  to  taking  charge  of  my  luggage,  but  rather 


A  Trip  to    I  ucuman  273 

startled  me  by  telling  me,  that,  while  I  could  get  a  room 
in  the  house,  1  would  have  to  go  elsewhere  for  my  meals, 
as  the  hotel  was  closed  in  part,  and  the  chef  and  the 
waiters  had  all  been  dismissed  the  week  before.  I 
resolved,  nevertheless,  to  inspect  the  house.  I  found 
I  had  not  been  misinformed  as  to  its  character.  The 
building  is  large,  the  room  offered  me  was  as  good  as  I 
could  have  obtained  in  the  best  hotel  in  New  York,  and 
there  was  a  fine  bath-room  connected  with  it,  which  in 
view  of  the  heat  and  the  dust  which  had  settled  into 
every  pore,  led  me  promptly  to  decide  that  wherever 
I  might  take  my  meals,  this  was  the  place  for  me.  The 
sight  of  a  neatly  tiled  bath-room,  and  an  immaculate 
porcelain  tub  resolved  all  doubts  on  the  instant.  When 
the  dust  of  the  journey  had  been  washed  away,  I  felt  as 
I  imagine  King  Naaman  must  have  felt  after  he  had 
obeyed  the  prophet  and  taken  his  plunge  into  the  Jor- 
dan. The  o\Mier  of  this  fine  new  hotel  in  Tucumdn  is 
the  owner  of  two  large  and  successful  hotels  in  Mon- 
tevideo. His  reason  for  closing  the  house  in  the  north 
is  probably  the  same  which  leads  the  proprietors  of 
hotels  in  Florida  not  to  keep  them  open  in  the  summer 
season.  The  people  about  the  hotel  had  no  reason  to 
assign  for  the  closing  of  the  dining-room,  except  that 
they  had  received  orders  to  do  so.  A  relative  of  the 
proprietor  who  seemed  to  be  in  charge,  and  who  is  an 
English  lady,  said  to  me  of  the  owner,  "  'E  is  makin' 
lots  o'  money  in  Montevideo,  but  I  don't  know  'ow  it 
is  up  'ere,  tambien ;  it  's  not  for  the  loikes  o*  us  to  be 
givin'  'im  adwice,  tambien;  'e  knows  'is  Kox^ti  biznis, 
tambien."  Her  use  of  the  Spanish  word  "tambien"  to 
interlard  her  sentences  very  much  as"Selah"  is  employed 
in  the  Psalms,  was  delicious. 

I  discovered  that  I  would  have  to  take  my  meals  at  a 

IS 


274         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


hotel  located  in  the  central  part  of  the  city,  on  the  Plaza 
Independencia,  and  as  the  sun  was  scorching  and  this 
hotel  was  located  fully  half  a  mile  from  my  bath-tub, 
I  formed  an  acquaintance  with  Antonio,  the  owner 
of  a  fiacre  and  a  sound  horse,  with  whom  I  made  a 
bargain  that  he  would  enter  into  my  service,  accept- 
ing wages  for  the  day  instead  of  for  the  trip,  and  he 
became  my  fidus  Achates.  He  seemed  pleased  to 
enter  into  the  arrangement,  and  I  had  no  occasion 
during  my  stay  to  regret  the  fact  that  I  had  made  it. 
The  hotel,  to  which  I  resorted  for  my  luncheon,  was  a 
low  structure,  two  stories  in  height,  ver}^  deep,  and 
traversed  through  its  entire  length  by  a  long,  narrow 
patio  over  which  was  a  glazed  roof.  At  the  extreme 
rear  of  this  cool  passageway,  nearly  two  hundred  feet 
long,  was  the  dining-room.  On  either  side  of  the 
passageway  were  offices,  and  bed-rooms  for  guests, 
though  most  of  the  guests  have  their  bed-rooms  on  the 
second  floor,  with  their  doors  opening  out  upon  a 
balcony.  The  place  had  a  somewhat  rusty  and  antique 
appearance,  but  the  viands  were  good  and  the  service 
was  prompt.  After  luncheon  I  informed  Antonio  that 
I  wished  to  make  a  round  of  the  city  and  see  the  princi- 
pal sights.  We  first  repaired  to  the  "Casa  Historica. " 
This  is  the  building  in  which  on  the  9th  day  of  July, 
in  the  year  1816  the  representatives  of  the  Spanish 
colonies  in  the  southern  part  of  the  continent  of  South 
America  assembled,  and  where  they  formulated  and 
adopted  their  declaration  of  independence  from  Spain. 
The  building  is  about  twenty  feet  wide  and  sixty  feet 
long,  roofed  with  tiles.  The  interior  forms  a  single 
room,  floored  with  rough  red  tiles  about  a  foot  square, 
somewhat  irregularly  laid.  The  walls  are  whitewashed, 
and  the  ceiling,  which  is  built  of  rough  planking,  is  also 


A    I  rij)  to  'riKuinaii  275 

whitewaslied.  At  one  end  of  the  room  is  a  large  rudely 
carved  arm-chair,  in  front  of  which  is  a  low  table. 
The  arm-chair  is  the  one  which  was  used  by  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  first  Congress,  and  the  table  is  said  to  be  the 
same  which  was  used  at  that  time.  There  are  a  few 
other  chairs  which  range  along  the  sides  of  the  room; 
otherwise  there  is  no  furniture.  Ujion  the  walls  hang 
a  framed  copy  of  the  Declaration  of  IndeiJendence,  and 
portraits  of  a  number  of  those  who  were  the  signers  of 
the  same.  Let  into  the  walls  are  a  number  of  commemo- 
rative tablets.  This  lowly  structure  is  preserved  and 
protected  from  decay  by  having  built  over  it  an  outer 
structure  surmounted  by  a  great  dome  of  glass,  under 
the  middle  of  which  it  .^^tands.  In  the  courtyard  in 
front  of  this  handsome  outer  edifice  on  either  side  are 
two  great  bronzes  commemorating  the  ])assage  of  the 
act  by  which  the  ixx)ple  of  the  South  American  Colonies 
declared  their  freedom  from  the  yoke  of  Spain.  The 
one  on  the  left,  as  the  courtyard  is  entered,  represents 
the  members  of  the  Congress  gathering  about  the  table 
in  the  Casa  Historica  to  affix  their  signatures  to  the 
immortal  document.  The  one  on  the  right  represents 
the  reading  of  the  Declaration  to  the  assembled  people. 
These  tablets  are  about  twenty-five  feet  long  and  ten 
feet  high,  and  the  figures  are  life-size.  In  the  center 
<  )f  the  outer  court  are  planted  a  number  of  palms,  which 
are  growing  vigorously  and  afford  a  grateful  shade.  I 
lingered  for  some  time  at  this  spot,  stirred  by 
emotions  kindred  to  those  which  might  be  felt  by  a 
stranger  who  for  the  first  time  visits  Inde])endence 
Hall  in  Philadelj^hia.  Great  are  the  changes  not  only 
in  South  America,  but  throughout  the  whole  world, 
which  have  taken  place  since  the  first  deliberative 
assembly   met    under   the   lowly    roof   of   the   humble 


276         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

building  which  patriotic  pride  is  preserving.  The  men 
who  gathered  here  came  across  the  pampas,  the 
snowy  mountains  of  the  West,  and  through  the  hot 
tropical  jungles,  enduring  such  hardships  in  travel 
as  none  in  this  generation  is  called  upon  to  under- 
go. Life  in  these  regions  a  hundred  years  ago  had  in  it 
no  touch  of  luxury;  the  conditions  were  even  sterner 
than  in  the  great  Republic  of  the  North.  The  heroism 
displayed  by  the  patriots  who  met  at  Tucuman  was  not 
less  than  that  displayed  by  the  men  who  had  gathered 
for  the  same  purpose  in  Philadelphia  in  1776. 

It  is  possible,  however,  for  a  traveler  to  surfeit  him- 
self with  sight-seeing.  Too  much  of  anything  palls. 
There  comes  a  time  in  European  travel — unless  you 
have  great  endurance — when  the  sight  of  a  cathedral 
disgusts,  and  the  thought  of  an  art-gallery  provokes 
a  yawn.  After  having  spent  half  an  hour  in  cudgeling 
from  the  dark  chambers  of  memory  what  little  I  knew 
of  South  American  history,  I  began  to  feel  exhaustion. 
Strained  by  this  form  of  mental  exercise,  I  resolved  that 
I  would  follow  the  advice  of  Antonio,  who  informed  me 
that  he  knew  a  brickyard  in  the  outskirts  of  the  city 
where  there  were  butterflies — mariposas — in  abundance. 
He  had  been  examining  my  butterily-net,  which  I  had 
left  on  the  seat  of  the  fiacre,  while  I  was  exploring  the 
Casa  Historica.  "Very  well,  then,  good  Antonio,  we 
will  go  to  the  outskirts,  stopping  on  the  way  to  see 
anything  which  may  be  of  interest. "  We  halted  at  two 
of  the  churches,  which  I  entered,  but,  not  having  letters 
of  introduction  to  the  Roman  Catholic  bishop  of  the 
diocese,  failed  to  detect  anything  which  was  profoundly 
interesting  in  their  interiors,  though  no  doubt  with  a 
competent  guide,  such  as  a  bishop  might  be,  the  tourist 
could  obtain  some  satisfaction  by  a  visit  to  these  old 


A  Trip  to    rikiiiiKiii  277 

edifices.  I  have  no  doubt  that  each  one  of  them  has  a 
story  to  tell,  which,  however,  is  not  revealed  by  gilded 
Madonnas  and  altar  furniture,  which  appears  to  be  all 
that  is  visible.  I  am  not  much  interested  in  such  things, 
and  if  I  wish  to  see  them,  can  see  them  Ix^tter  at  home  in 
the  factor>'  which  is  run  by  my  Italian  friend  who  makes 
the  reproductions  of  the  bones  of  the  Diplodocus  for 
me.  and  who,  as  a  side  issue,  runs  a  shop  in  which 
he  sells  virgins  and  apostles  used  to  decorate  the  sanc- 
tuaries of  the  faithful.  From  ap{x?arances  the  making 
of  plaster  of  Paris  images  must  be  a  good  business  in 
South  America  for  the  enterjjrising  Italians  who  have  it 
in  hand.  Two  days  afterwards,  on  Sunday,  I  witnessed 
a  solemn  religious  procession,  in  which  one  of  these 
gilded  images  of  the  Virgin  covered  by  a  canopy  was 
paraded  through  the  streets  borne  on  the  shoulders  of 
men,  preceded  and  followed  by  ecclesiastics  and  great 
numbers  of  people  with  bared  heads,  while  the  military 
had  turned  out,  and  bands  played,  and  there  was  a 
general  sensation  throughout  the  town.  This  kind  of 
mummer>'  is  characteristic  to  some  extent  of  Spain,  as  it 
used  also  formerly  to  be  of  Italy  and  France.  Its  per- 
petuation in  South  America  is  interesting,  as  showing 
the  survival  of  curious  religious  customs,  which  have 
become  obsolete  in  other  parts  of  the  world  with  the 
advance  of  knowledge. 

Antonio's  brickyard,  although  it  was  full  of  thistles, 
the  blossoms  of  which  the  butterflies  frequent,  did  not 
yield  as  many  specimens  as  an  adjoining  alfalfa-field, 
which  was  in  bloom.  But  it  did  yield  me  a'ver}'  beauti- 
ful view  of  the  Cordilleras,  and  it  was  these  which  I  had 
come  to  Tucuman  to  see.  Alas!  however,  during  all  the 
days  that  I  was  there  the  obstinate  clouds  refused  to 
roll  away  from  the  summits,  and  the  deep  purple  slopes 


2-jS        To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

were  the  most  that  I  generally  saw.  Now  and  then,  as 
the  clouds  twisted  about  higher  up,  an  aggravating  and 
unsatisfying  glimpse  of  peaks  and  pinnacles  was  ob- 
tained. Early  one  morning,  about  four  o'clock,  upon 
waking  and  looking  toward  the  west,  I  caught  a  glimpse 
of  the  more  distant  summits;  but  it  quickly  vanished. 
For  weeks  at  a  time  the  great  Andean  uplifts  are 
wrapped  in  fog.  In  consequence  of  this  there  is 
wonderful  vegetation  upon  the  lower  slopes.  Antonio 
drove  me  over  by  a  very  rough  road,  full  of  ruts,  to  the 
edge  of  the  tropical  forest,  which  comes  down  to  meet 
the  clearings  in  which  sugar-canes  grow.  It  was  only 
a  glimpse  I  had  of  a  world  in  which  I  would  like  to 
have  spent  weeks.  What  I  saw  reminded  me  of  the 
forest-clad  mountains  about  Rio  de  Janeiro — the  same 
splendid  growths  of  huge  umbrageous  trees;  the  same 
intermingling  of  genera  and  species;  the  same  wealth 
of  epiphytic  plants. 

It  was  dinner-time  and  already  dark  when  Antonio 
brought  me  back  at  the  end  of  my  first  day's  experience 
in  Tucuman.  I  was  glad  to  retreat  to  my  bath-tub,  and 
at  an  early  hour  to  "woo  the  drowsy  god,"  safely 
ensconced  under  the  cover  of  the  mosquito-net,  which  I 
took  pains  to  adjust  in  such  a  manner  as  to  prevent 
attacks  by  Stegomya,  that  insidious  dipteron,  which 
conveys  the  germs  of  yellow  fever.  It  had  not  been 
reassuring  at  dinner  to  have  the  head-waiter  inform  me 
that  there  were  a  good  many  cases  of  vomito  in  town. 

On  the  morning  of  the  following  day,  at  an  early 
hour,  I  was  driven  by  Antonio  into  the  country.  We 
went  first  to  the  Agiias  Corrientes,  the  water- works, 
where  Antonio  had  informed  me  that  I  would  see 
something,  and  have  a  chance  to  make  a  good  collection 
of  the  small  creatures  which  I  wished  to  obtain.     The 


A  Trip  to    riiLuman  279 

result  of  the  expedition  was  not  wholly  satisfactory  so 
far  as  the  number  of  specimens  was  concerned.  I  had 
an  opportunity,  however,  to  observe  some  things  which 
were  not  devoid  of  interest.  A  great  swarm  of  grass- 
hopix?rs  were  at  work  in  a  field  through  which  I  rambled. 
The  langustos,  as  the  natives  call  them,  were  fully 
mature,  and  were  busy  devouring  the  herbage.  The 
day  was  quite  still,  and  it  was  a  novel  thing  to  hear  the 
sound  which  they  produced  as  they  fed  up<jn  the  grasses 
and  foliage.  The  working  of  thousimds  upon  thousands 
of  small  jaws  and  the  rustling  of  wings,  and  the  stir 
they  made  as  they  crawled  over  the  ground,  filled  the 
air  with  a  low  but  continuous  murmur,  unlike  anything 
else  I  have  heard.  It  became  impressive  as  evidence 
of  the  fact  that  so  small  and  insignificant  a  thing  as  a 
grasshopper  may  indeed  become  "a  burden,"  and  a 
great  burden,  too,  to  the  land.  The  species  {Schisto- 
cerca  paranensis)  is  at  times  a  veritable  scourge,  as 
great  as  that  of  the  locusts  of  the  Orient,  even  more 
so  than  the  common  Melanopliis  spretus,  the  Rocky 
Mountain  Lxxrust,  to  which  it  is  not  distantly  related. 
The  insects  were  being  greedily  devoured  by  birds,  and 
I  noted  that  the  Guira  was  doing  its  part  in  destroying 
them.  By  the  roadside  I  had  a  good  opportunity  to 
examine  the  nest  of  an  Oven-bird  {Fiirnarius  rujus) .  It 
was  built  low  down  on  the  branch  of  a  tree,  so  that  by 
standing  up  in  the  carriage  I  could  get  a  very  good  view 
of  it.  I  had  seen  the  birds  on  the  grounds  of  the  Obser- 
vatory at  La  Plata,  and  had  often  observed  their  nests 
at  a  distance,  but  here  was  a  chance  to  carefully  study 
one  near  at  hand.  The  structure  is  almost  globular  in 
outline,  built  of  clay,  about  a  foot  in  diameter,  with  an 
entrance  at  one  side.  It  is  said  that  this  entrance  is 
always   placed   by    the   bird    toward    the    rising    sun. 


28o        To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

Whether  this  is  true  in  all  cases  it  is,  of  course,  impossible 
for  me  to  affirm,  but  it  was  certainly  true  in  the  case 
of  the  nest  which  I  examined.  I  note,  however,  that 
Hudson,  who  ought  to  know,  says  that  the  opening  is 
always  made  on  that  side  of  the  nest  from  which  danger 
might  be  apprehended.  Inside  the  nest  is  divided  into 
two  compartments,  a  small  ante-chamber  and  a  larger 
inner  chamber,  the  entrance  to  which  is  higher  up  than 
the  outer  entrance,  so  that  it  cannot  well  be  reached 
from  the  outer  entrance  with  the  fingers.  The  bird  is 
very  common  in  the  Province  of  Buenos  Aires  and  else- 
where; and  there  are  a  number  of  other  species  of  the 
same  genus  in  other  parts  of  South  America  which  have 
similar  habits.  The  bird  is  known  by  the  common  peo- 
ple under  the  name  of  el  Horfiero,  "the  Baker, "  because 
of  the  oven-like  structure  which  it  builds.  Antonio  said 
to  me:  "El  Hornero  es  el  mas  inteligente  de  todos  los 
pajaros;  es  arqiiitecto/'  There  is  a  great  deal  of  folk- 
lore and  tradition  in  reference  to  the  Oven-bird  current 
throughout  Argentina.  The  birds  are  never  molested, 
and  it  is  regarded  as  a  sign  of  good  luck  to  have  the 
Hornero  build  its  nest  in  proximity  to  a  house.  The 
bird  in  size  is  a  little  smaller  than  the  common  robin  of 
our  North  American  lawns,  the  plumage  of  its  back, 
tail,  and  wings  bright  reddish  brown,  the  breast  paler 
in  color.  It  may  frequently  be  seen  nmning  and 
hopping  about  on  pathways  in  gardens. 

The  reservoirs  and  pumping  stations  at  the  water- 
works did  not  interest  me  as  much  as  my  cochero 
thought  they  would.  I  have  seen  in  my  time  more 
impressive  establishments.  Butterflies  of  various 
species  were  reasonably  common,  but  I  found  the  heat 
so  oppressive,  that,  after  I  had  spent  an  hour  or  two 
chasing  and  collecting  insects,  I  was  ready  to  seek  other 


A  Trip  to    lucuman  281 

pastures.  Wc  drove  at  my  command  to  the  river- 
el  rio.  1  had  anticipated  from  the  map  that  I  would 
find  myself  on  the  banks  of  a  considerable  stream.  In 
the  rainy  season  there  was  every  evidence  that  it  must 
1k'  a  great  body  of  water  which  flows  down  through  its 
bed;  but  to  my  horror,  when  I  arrived,  where  I  had 
expected  to  see  a  broad  shining  river,  I  discovered 
nothing  but  cobblestones  and  stretches  of  sand  in  which 
dwarfed  willows  were  growing;  through  the  middle  of 
the  channel  there  flowed  a  highly  malodorous  stream  of 
sewage  about  four  feet  wide,  from  which  I  fled  incon- 
tinently. The  carcasses  of  dead  animals  had  been 
apparently  hauled  out  of  town  and  deposited  along  the 
bed  of  the  river,  there  to  decay,  and  ultimately  to  be 
washed  away  by  freshets,  which  fill  the  channel  in  the 
rainy  season.  El  rio  left  ujx)n  me  no  memories  save 
that  of  its  extreme  putridity.  The  sanitar}''  condition 
of  Tucuman  would  be  improved  by  resorting  to  some 
more  modem  method  of  disposing  of  the  sewage  and  the 
carcasses  of  dead  horses  and  dogs,  which  are  now  left  to 
fester  under  a  torrid  sun. 

The  Pro\ince  of  TucumAn  is  the  center  of  the  sugar 
industry  of  Argentina.  Under  a  protective  tarifT  the 
business  has  increased  greatly  in  recent  years.  The 
area  under  cultivation  has  grown  since  1872,  when  it 
was  2453  hectares,  to  72,000  hectares  in  1910,  of  which 
62.500 — equal  to  about  155,000  acres — were  planted  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  Tucumdn.  The  level  plain 
in  which  Tucumdn  is  located  is  criss-crossed  in  various 
directions  by  railways,  to  which  the  canes  are  brought 
when  ripe  and  transported  to  the  factories,  where  the 
whole  process  of  making  sugar  is  completed,  from  the 
crushing  of  the  canes  by  powerful  machinery',  thereby 
extracting   the   sap,    to   the   final    proces.«;  of   refining. 


282         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

German  and  French  capital  and  brains  have  been 
utiHzed  to  bring  about  the  greatest  economy  in  manufac- 
ture. A  number  of  the  estabHshments  are  truly  impres- 
sive in  their  size  and  the  perfection  of  their  equipment. 
To  find  here  within  sight  of  the  Andes  great  estab- 
lishments covering  an  area  as  large  as  is  covered  by 
some  of  the  larger  steel-mills  in  the  United  States, 
devoted  to  the  production  of  sugar,  was  to  me  at  first 
sight  a  matter  of  astonishment.  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  meeting  several  German  chemists,  who  are  charged 
with  the  conduct  of  one  of  these  great  concerns.  I 
found  them  to  be  men  of  scientific  training,  thorough 
masters  of  the  subject.  While  the  industry  has  as- 
sumed large  proportions,  the  product  at  the  present 
time  is  only  about  equal  to  the  domestic  demand,  and 
Argentina  has  not  yet  come  to  the  point  where  it  can 
export  sugar  profitably  and  in  quantity.  Not  all  of  the 
refining  is  done  on  the  ground  at  Tucuman.  A  certain 
proportion  of  the  raw  sugar  is  shipped  to  Rosario,  where 
there  are  extensive  refineries. 

The  population  of  Tucuman  reveals  a  considerable 
infusion  of  Indian  blood,  much  more  than  is  the  case  in 
Buenos  Aires.  Not  a  few  of  the  people  I  saw  were 
evidently  pure-blooded  Indians.  One  old  woman,  who 
daily  sat  at  the  entrance  of  the  hotel  where  I  took  my 
luncheon  and  dinner,  told  me  with  evident  pride  that 
she  was  an  Indian.  She  was  engaged  in  selling  cheap 
embroideries  of  native  workmanship.  I  saw  many 
others  whose  features  indicated  that  they  belonged  to 
the  same  race.  Some  of  the  children  and  girls  were 
decidedly  pretty.  As  a  class  these  people  did  not 
impress  me  as  being  very  robust,  and  some  of  them 
appeared  to  be  more  or  less  under-sized  and  under-fed. 
Pulmonary  disease  is  reported   to  be  very  prevalent 


A  Trip  to    lucuman  283 

among  them,  and  likewise  syphilis.  The  latter  disease 
is  very  prevalent  in  South  /Vmerica,  and  according  to 
the  opinion  of  some  learned  authors  the  disease  was 
originally  imported  into  Euroi)e  from  South  America, 
Whatever  may  have  been  the  point  of  its  origin,  it  is, 
according  to  the  opinion  of  those  most  competent  to 
express  themselves  upon  the  subject,  unfortunately 
very  common  in  the  southern  continent. 

The  days  I  had  allowed  myself  fur  my  visit  to  Tucu- 
man  came  all  too  cjuickly  to  an  end.  I  would  gladly 
have  stayed  longer,  and  pushed  on  to  Salta  and  Jujuy, 
and  thence  invaded  Bolivia,  and  paid  a  call  in  passing 
to  a  young  friend  of  mine,  who  has  f(jr  many  years  past 
been  sending  me  the  birds  and  insects  of  the  latter 
country.  But  I  knew  I  had  gone  as  far  as  I  dared  to  go 
with  the  time  at  my  command,  and  therefore  on  the 
night  of  October  20th  boarded  the  train  for  my  return 
to  Buenos  Aires.  By  doing  this  I  was  enabled  to  see 
by  the  light  of  day  that  part  of  the  country  through 
which  I  had  passed  in  the  night  on  coming  up.  The 
clear  division  between  the  different  vegetational  zones 
through  which  we  passed  was  most  interesting.  \Micn 
I  awoke  on  the  morning  of  the  21st  we  were  still  in  the 
region  of  the  giant  cacti  and  the  thorny  undergrowths 
of  the  semi -arid  belt.  We  soon  passed  beyond  this  into 
a  tract  which  still  retains  much  of  the  primitive  vegeta- 
tion of  the  pampas.  It  was  characterized  by  growths  of 
tall,  harsh  grasses,  growing  in  tufts,  unth  bare  open 
spaces  between  them.  Some  of  these  spots  between 
the  grass-tufts  were  filled  with  blooming  plants  of 
different  species,  among  them  I  was  delighted  to  see 
the  scarlet  verbena  blossoming  in  a  way  which  would 
tlelight  the  heart  of  a  florist  at  home.  Wide  patches  of 
the  soil  were  all  ablaz<.^  with  the  brilliant  red  of  this 


284 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


beautiful  flower.  A  little  farther  along  between  the 
railway  stations  known  as  Pinta  and  Selva  there 
occurred  palms  and  palmettos,  scattered  in  climips 
among  the  rank  grasses,  which  covered  the  ground. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Palacios  I  observed  that  the 
land  for  leagues  was  covered  with  tall  ant-hills,  from 
eighteen  inches  to  two  feet  in  height.  There  were 
literally  millions  of  them  crowded  together  in  such 
proximity  to  each  other  that  they  seemed  to  occupy 
almost  the  entire  surface.     I  should  much  have  liked 


Fig.  27 — Carancho.     s  nat.  size. 

to  have  given  them  a  near  inspection.  The  ants  of  the 
tropics  have  had  an  important  part  in  the  past  in  form- 
ing the  soil,  having  performed  a  service  analogous  to 
that  which  has  been  rendered  in  the  temperate  regions 
of  the  north  by  the  earth-worms. 

Everywhere  during  the  long  ride  I  took  notice  of  the 
fact  that  birds  seemed  to  be  numerous.  The  nests  of 
the  Homero  were  frequently  seen  upon  the  telegraph- 
poles  beside  the  tracks .  Hawks  and  burrowing  owls  were 
common.  I  saw  a  number  of  specimens  of  the  Caran- 
cho, (Polyborus  thariis)  or  Caracara,  as  it  is  called  in 
Central  America,   and  the    northern    parts    of  South 


A  Trip  to   Tucunian  285 

America.  This  mosl  interesting  bird  is  said  to  be  a 
scavenger,  and  to  prey  upon  carrion,  but,  while  it  may 
do  so  when  pressed  by  great  hunger,  it  is  claimed  by 
those  who  have  most  closely  studied  its  habits  that  it 
generally  feeds  upon  the  weak  and  the  wounded, 
whether  birds  or  mammals.  It  is  the  torment  of  the 
hunter,  from  whom  it  snatches  the  birds  which  he  may 
have  brought  down  before  he  is  able  to  retrieve  them. 
Hudson  devotes  many  pages  to  accounts  of  the  habits 
of  this  rather  fine-looking  hawk  and  I  was  very  glad  to 
see  it  in  its  native  haunts. 

After  leaving  Selva  the  land  became  more  and  more 
cultivated,  until  at  Valdez  we  reached  a  region,  which  is 
one  of  the  garden-spots  of  the  world.  Finer  fields  of 
wheat  and  clover,  of  flax  and  maize,  are  not  to  be  seen 
anywhere  uj>on  the  globe.  Shortly  after  leaving  Valdez 
the  night  came  on,  and  the  ne.xt  morning  I  found  myself 
in  Buenos  Aires  ready  for  breakfast,  and  glad  soon 
afterwards  to  meet  some  of  my  friends,  who  called 
upon  me,  and  congratulated  me  upon  my  safe  return 
from  my  little  excursion,  in  which  I  had  in  one  way  or 
another  covered  nearly  fifteen  hundred  miles  of  travel. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

LAST  DAYS  IN  ARGENTINA 

"All  places  that  the  eye  of  heaven  visits 

Are  to  a  wise  man  ports  and  happy  havens." 

Shdkespearr. 

THE  few  days  which  remained  before  beginning  my 
voyage  to  the  north  were  partly  consumed  by 
visits  to  La  P  ata,  where  I  renewed  my  acquaintance 
with  my  friends,  and  looked  after  matters  which  re- 
quired my  personal  attention.  I  was  glad  to  meet  Dr. 
Hussey,  who  had  returned  from  his  expedition  to 
Brazil,  and  w^as  able  to  sympathize  with  him,  as  he 
told  me  of  the  unsuccessful  results  of  the  undertaking. 
Had  I  not  myself,  in  1887,  gone  all  the  way  to  Japan 
on  a  similar  errand,  and  failed? 

The  time  which  was  not  given  to  business  and  social 
duties  was  devoted  to  sight-seeing  in  Buenos  Aires. 
The  capitol,  the  various  parks,  the  cemeteries,  the 
latter  remarkable  because  of  the  many  noble  monu- 
ments and  finely  executed  pieces  of  statuary  found 
there,  were  visited.  A  certain  amount  of  time  was 
spent  in  endeavoring  to  pick  up  souvenirs.  As  at 
Bahia,  so  in  Buenos  Aires,  I  found  this  difficult.  While 
there  was  displayed  in  the  shops  an  abundance  of 
beautiful  silverware,  bronzes,  glassware,  porcelain,  and 
articles  de  luxe,  which  were  at  once  useful  and  attractive 
to  the  eye,  all  of  these  were  things  made  in  Europe  or 

286 


Monument  of  San  Martin,  Buenos  Aires. 


A  Glimpse  into  the  Cemeterio  del  Norte,  Buenos  Aires. 


Last  Days  in  Argentina 


2Hj 


North  America,  and  could  be  purchased  far  more 
cheaply  in  Pittsburgh,  or  even  in  New  York.  A  friend 
bent  upon  the  same  errand,  who  had  the  same  thought, 
informed  me  that  all  which  he  had  succeeded  in  finding, 
which  in  any  sense  might  be  regarded  as  characteristic 
of  the  country,  and  therefore  fit  to  be  souvenirs  of  a 
visit,  were  photo- 
graphs, mat6- 
gourds,  armadillo- 
baskets,  and  jag- 
uar-skins.     He        .^. -  -^  .  ^ -^ 

had  discovered  a 

place  where  these  ^'^-  ^^- — ^'"c-banded  Armadillo,  i  nat.  size, 
things  were  for  sale,  and  he  guided  me  to  the  spot.  The 
poor  little  armadillos,  small  successors  of  the  huge 
glyptodons  and  other  allied  beasts  which  formerly 
tenanted  the  pampas,  are  being  somewhat  rapidly  ex- 
terminated, and  are  sold  in  the  markets  as  food.  There 
is  not  much  flesh  on  an  armadillo.  The  favorite  method 
of  cooking  them  is  to  stuff  them  with  bread-crumbs 
and   roast   them.      The  fat  imparts  a  certain  richness 

to  the  bread-crumbs, 
but  to  eat  roasted  arm- 
adillo is  very  much 
like  eating  the  stuffin- 
of  a  bony  and  flesh  less 
turkey  without  getting 
any  of  the  turkey.  The 
\v  ^       most    curious    use    to 

which  these  poor  crea- 

>N"  tures  are  put  is  to  con- 

Fig  29.  -Armadillo  Basket  vert     their     carapaces 

into  baskets.     The  mouth  is  opened  and  the  end  of  the 

tail  is  inserted  into  it,  thus  forming  the  handle  of  the 


288        To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

basket,  while  the  hollow  carapace  serves  as  a  receptacle. 
The  carapace  is  lined  with  silk.  I  bought  several 
as  souvenirs.  In  a  shop  on  the  Avenida  de  Mayo  I 
found  a  few  spec  mens  of  Paraguayan  lace,  which  are 
rather  pretty.  The  lace  is  made  by  the  Indians.  While 
the  designs  are  artistic,  the  fabric  does  not  appear  to 
be  very  durable.  The  lace  is  made  of  thread  spun  in 
Europe. 

On  the  evening  of  October  24th  I  repaired  according 
to  invitation  to  the  Jockey  Club  where  I  had  the  honor 
of  being  the  guest  at  a  banquet  given  by  the  University 
of  La  Plata,  at  which  the  Rector  of  the  University  of 
Buenos  Aires,  the  Deans  of  the  Faculties,  and  the 
leading  professors  of  both  institutions  were  present,  as 
well  as  the  Ministry  of  the  Province  of  Buenos  Aires. 
The  banquet  was  given  in  the  Empire-Room  of  the  Club, 
said  to  be  the  most  beautiful  room  of  its  kind  in  the 
city,  and  I  very  much  doubt  whether  in  any  club  in  any 
part  of  the  world  there  is  a  more  beautiful  banqueting 
chamber  than  this.  It  is  circular  in  form,  of  large 
dimensions.  The  dome  surmounting  it  is  supported  on 
tall  pilasters,  and  is  decorated  with  beautiful  allegorical 
designs  executed  by  French  artists.  The  banquet- 
table  extends  around  the  entire  room  in  the  form  of  a 
hollow  circle,  the  central  space  being  reserved  for 
floral  displays.  Dr.  Joaquin  V.  Gonzales,  the  Rector 
of  the  University  of  La  Plata,  presided.  Being  seated 
at  his  right  hand,  I  found  at  my  right  hand  Dr.  Eufemio 
Uballes,  the  Rector  of  the  University  of  Buenos  Aires. 
Sixty  gentlemen  were  present.  It  certainly  was  a  very 
distinguished  honor  which  in  the  kindness  of  their 
hearts  these  learned  and  eminent  men  accorded  to  me, 
and  I  accepted  it  as  a  tribute  of  good-will  to  the 
Founder  of  the  Institute,  whom  I  had  the  honor  of 


Last  Days  in  Argentina  289 

representing,  and  to  my  own  country.  Dr.  Gonzales 
after  dinner  rose  and  made  a  very  beautiful  and  elo- 
quent address,  in  which  he  spoke  gratefully  of-  the 
generosity  of  Mr.  Carnegie,  whose  health  he  proposed, 
as  well  as  that  of  his  representative.  He  alluded  to  the 
bonds  of  sincere  amity  which  exist  between  Argentina 
and  the  great  Republic  of  the  North,  from  which  the 
guest  of  the  evening  had  come.  It  was  a  pleasure  for 
the  writer  to  acknowledge  with  heartfelt  gratitude 
the  many  distinguished  courtesies  which  had  been 
extended  to  him  during  his  brief  stay  in  the  country', 
and  his  appreciation  of  the  hospitality  which  he  had 
received,  destined  to  leave  an  indelible  impression  upon 
his  memory,  and  cause  him  always  to  think  of  the 
people  of  Argentina  as  his  friends.  The  fact  that  the 
constitution  of  Argentina  is  identical  with  that  of  the 
United  States,  that  its  government  is  founded  upon 
the  same  principles  which  were  enunciated  by  those 
who  framed  the  organic  law  of  the  Republic  of  the 
North,  was  alluded  to;  and  on  behalf  of  the  scientific 
men  and  educators  of  my  own  land,  I  ventured  to 
express  my  ajjpreciation  of  what  I  had  observed  of 
the  efforts  which  are  being  made  by  men  of  learning 
and  of  science  in  the  great  Republic  of  the  South  to 
advance  knowledge,  to  train  men  for  the  highest  useful- 
ness, and  to  hasten  the  coming  of  that  good  time 
'>retold  by  the  seer,  when  "swords  shall  be  beaten 
into  ploughshares  and  spears  converted  into  pruning- 
hooks. "  As  to  the  relations  which  subsist  between 
the  two  republics,  I  ventured  to  express  the  confident 
belief  that  these  would  forever  be  relations  of  fraternity 
and  of  mutual  helpfulness.  "  We  of  the  North  and  you 
of  the  South  arc  all  of  us  Americans,  and  though  the 
Pole-star  lights  our  northern  sky,  and  the  Southern 


290         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

Cross  sheds  its  radiance  over  your  fair  land,  the  heavens 
in  which  they  shine  unite  to  form  but  one  unbroken 
sphee  from  which  Hght,  the  gift  of  Him  who  is  'the 
Father  of  lights,'  is  poured  upon  all  the  sons  of  men. 
'  If  we  walk  in  the  light  ...  we  have  fellowship  one 
with  another'  and  error  and  misconception  pass  away. 
National  misunderstandings  and  antagonisms  are  al- 
ways the  result  of  ignorance.  When  the  nations 
come  to  understand  each  other,  as  do  the  gentlemen 
gathered  about  this  table,  there  will  be  no  occasion 
for  ill-will. " 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  festivities  I  had  an  opportun- 
ity to  take  those  who  were  present  by  the  hand  and  to 
exchange  hearty  farewell  greetings  with  them. 

In  passing  it  may  be  observed  that  the  Jockey  Club 
is  a  power  in  Argentina.  It  is  composed  of  the  leading 
men  of  the  country,  one  of  the  indispensable  conditions 
of  membership  being  citizenship.  It  gathers  all  the 
great  land-owners  into  its  ranks,  and  the  agricultural 
interests  of  the  nation,  which  are  most  important,  are 
attended  to  and  in  various  ways  promoted  by  the  Club. 
It  is  said  that  the  Jockey  Club  practically  rules  Argen- 
tina, and  that  no  measure  of  state  can  succeed  unless 
approved  by  this  influential  organization,  made  up  of 
the  leaders  of  public  opinion  throughout  the  land.  The 
club-house  is  one  of  the  most  luxuriously  appointed 
buildings  of  its  kind  in  existence.  One  of  its  beautiful 
architectural  features  is  a  staircase  of  Argentinian 
onyx  leading  from  the  vestibule  to  the  second  floor. 

It  was  a  matter  of  regret  to  me  that  my  brief  stay 
prevented  me  from  visiting  certain  localities  which  I 
have  always  fancied  that  I  should  like  to  see.  The 
Argentina  with  which  the  tourist  ordinarily  becomes 
acquainted  is  the  Argentina  immediately  adjacent  to 


QQ 


09 


Last  Days  in  Argentina  291 

tlic  Capital,  a  region  which  the  reader  by  this  time 
reaHzes  is  interminably  flat.  Very  diflerent  from  this 
is  the  western  countr>'  traversed  by  the  Andean  Alps. 
The  loftiest  peak  is  that  of  Aconcagua,  which  rises 
more  than  twenty-three  thousand  feet  into  the  air. 
Several  of  my  friends  in  the  Academy  of  Sciences  of  La 
Plata  have  devoted  a  great  deal  of  time  to  the  system- 
atic exploration  of  Aconcagua,  and  one  of  them 
presented  me  with  an  extensive  collection  of  photo- 
graphic views  of  this  noble  mountain  which  he  made  a 
couple  of  years  ago.  There  are  in  the  southern  Andes 
scores  of  other  peaks,  scarcely  less  impressive  than  Acon- 
cagua, which  remain  to  be  conquered  by  the  members 
of  some  future  Alpine  Club,  which  awaits  organization 
in  Argentina.  There  is  a  whole  world  of  as  yet  unseen 
wonders  to  be  investigated  in  the  southern  portions  of 
the  cordilleran  ranges.  Not  only  the  mountain-climber 
and  the  artist,  but  the  geologist  and  the  mineralogist, 
have  still  before  them  a  rich  field  in  which  to  exert  their 
powers  in  this  territory,  which  remains  almost  virgin  soil 
tor  the  explorer.  I  should  have  liked  very  much  to  have 
visited  the  region  of  the  Strait  of  Magellan,  which, 
richly  dowered  with  fiords,  glaciers,  and  snow-peaks, 
rivals  Norway  in  the  magnificence  of  its  scenery.  But 
even  more  than  all  these  would  I  have  liked  to  have 
seen  the  Falls  of  the  Iguassii.  This  mighty  cataract, 
far  exceeding  in  size  and  height  our  own  Niagara,  is 
one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world,  which  has  as  yet  been 
visited  by  but  few  persons.  I  made  diligent  inquiry  to 
ascertain  whether  it  would  be  possible  for  me  to  pene- 
trate so  far  and  return  within  a  reasonable  length  of 
time,  but  discovered  that  in  order  to  make  the  journey 
at  least  three  weeks  would  be  required,  and  therefore 
abandoned  the  thought  of  the  undertaking. 


292         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

The  Falls  of  the  Iguassu  arc  located  in  the  midst  of 
dense  tropical  forests  at  the  eastern  border  of  the 
central  lowlands,  where  the  river  makes  its  final  bold 
leap  from  the  eastern  highlands,  about  twelve  miles 
from  its  point  of  junction  with  the  Alta  Parana,  and 
near  the  point  where  the  States  of  Brazil,  Paraguay, 
and  Argentina  come  together.  The  Iguassu  takes  its 
rise  in  the  Province  of  Santa  Catharina  in  Brazil,  not 
more  than  thirty  miles  from  the  Atlantic  coast.  The 
waters,  which  begin  their  journey  there,  flow  westward 
and  southward,  and  only  again  find  rest  in  the  ocean 
after  they  have  gone  two  thousand  miles  from  their 
source.  The  river  just  before  reaching  the  cataract 
pursues  a  very  devious  course.  The  fall  is  divided  into 
two  main  portions  by  a  large  island.  The  cataract  on 
the  Brazilian  side  descends  by  an  unbroken  leap  of 
about  two  hundred  and  thirty  feet.  The  cataract 
on  the  Argentinian  side  descends  by  two  leaps,  each 
over  a  hundred  feet  in  height,  the  total  fall  at  this  point 
being  about  two  hundred  and  ten  feet.  The  fall  on  the 
Brazilian  side  has  the  form  of  a  horseshoe,  like  that  at 
Niagara.  But  between  the  large  Brazilian  and  the 
great  Argentine  falls  there  are  a  number  of  smaller 
falls  through  which  the  water  spills  over  the  cliff  be- 
tween small  islands.  In  the  dry  season  there  is  a  succes- 
sion of  cataracts  presented  to  view  from  the  Brazilian 
side  of  the  river;  but,  when  the  stream  is  in  flood,  these 
small  dividing  islets  are  submerged,  and  the  whole  face 
of  the  high  wall  of  rock  is  one  immense  torrent,  save 
where  it  is  broken  by  the  great  central  island.  The 
total  contour  of  the  fall  is  about  ten  thousand  feet,  or 
nearly  two  miles  in  length,  and  at  the  lowest  point  the 
fall  is  forty  feet  higher  than  Niagara.  Below  the  fall 
the  stream  suddenly  narrows,  and  the  tremendous  dis- 


u>^_«_^^iUi 


irn  \wn' 


I 


Last  Days  in  Argentina  293 

charge  of  water  passes  away  through  a  gorge  about 
four  hundred  feet  wide,  to  which  the  Indians  have  given 
the  name  El  Golfo  del  Diabolo,  in  comparison  with  which 
it  is  said  that  the  Whirlpool  Rapids  below  Niagara  are 
a  very  tame  little  affair.  Between  low  water  in  the  dry 
season  and  high  water  in  the  rainy  season  there  is  a 
difference  of  one  hundred  and  forty  feet  in  the  depth 
of  the  stream  passing  through  the  Devil's  Gulf.  The 
thunder  of  the  cataract  is  heard  for  miles;  the  cloud  of 
mist  which  rises  above  it  is  a  landmark  visible  for  many 
leagues. 

Access  to  the  spot  is  now  obtained  by  going  either  by 
boat  or  rail  to  Corrientcs,  thence  by  steamer  up  the 
Alta  Parana  to  the  junction  of  the  Rio  Iguassu  with  the 
former  river.  At  this  point  the  tourist  must  complete 
the  remainder  of  his  journey  either  on  foot  or  mule- 
back.  The  journey  in  going  consumes  from  twelve  to 
fifteen  days,  and  in  returning  somewhat  less.  There  is 
as  yet  no  hotel  at  the  falls  for  the  accommodation  of 
travelers,  and  those  who  visit  the  spot  must  make 
arrangements  to  camp  out  during  their  stay.  The 
forests  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  falls  are  dense, 
luxuriantly  tropical,  and  the  place  is  said  to  abound 
not  only  with  gorgeous  butterflies,  such  as  the  splendid 
Morphos,  and  various  species  of  the  genera  Agrias  and 
CaUithea  (Frontispiece,  figs,  i,  6,  and  9),  but  with 
other  insects  not  so  charming  to  the  eye,  which  make  a 
visit  to  the  falls  somewhat  of  a  trial  to  the  "faith  and 
patience  of  the  saints. "  When  discussing  the  possibil- 
ity of  going  to  the  cataract  of  the  Iguassu,  one  of  my 
friends,  who  had  been  there,  said  to  me:  "Don't  go. 
You  will  be  eaten  up  by  bichos. "  The  word  bicho  is 
used  in  South  America  ver>'  much  as  the  word  bug  is 
used  in  English,  to  designate  all  sorts  of  insect-pests 


294        To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

and  crawling  vermin.  Speaking  of  bichos  I  am  reminded 
of  a  tale  told  me  a  number  of  years  ago  by  the  wife  of  a 
former  American  Consul  in  Buenos  Aires,  who  related 
with  laughter  her  experiences  at  a  somewhat  primitive 
summer-resort,  since  grown  fine  and  fashionable,  at 
which  she  and  her  husband,  in  its  early  days,  once 
passed  their  vacation  in  the  hot  months.  Flies  were 
exceedingly  numerous,  and,  as  she  sat  down  at  table, 
the  waiter  placed  before  her  a  plate  of  soup  in  which 
she  counted  no  less  than  half  a  dozen  of  the  odious 
things.  She  was  properly  indignant,  and  ordered 
him  to  bring  her  another  plate  of  soup  without  such 
garniture.  He  removed  the  plate  and  stationing 
himself  where  he  evidently  thought  she  could  not 
see  him,  with  his  back  turned  towards  her,  picked  the 
flies  out  of  the  soup  with  his  greasy  fingers,  and  then 
advancing  with  an  air  of  triumph  on  his  face,  smilingly 
set  the  plate  down  again  before  her,  exclaiming  as  he 
straightened  himself  up:  "Sopa  sin  bichos!" — Soup 
without  bugs! 

The  steamer  Vestris  was  to  make  her  maiden  voyage 
from  Buenos  Aires  to  New  York,  sailing  on  the  morning 
of  October  26th.  I  had  engaged  passage  upon  her,  and 
accordingly  on  the  evening  before  sailing  we  went  to  the 
dock,  hunted  up  the  chief  steward,  and  arranged  to  have 
our  effects  put  into  our  staterooms  and  the  doors 
locked,  so  that  at  the  time  of  departure  in  the  morning 
we  would  not  be  annoyed  by  petty  cares  and  anxieties. 
The  last  evening  was  spent  at  the  hotel  in  the  society 
of  friends,  who  came  one  after  the  other  to  wish  us  a 
safe  and  prosperous  voyage. 

In  the  morning  we  were  off  betimes,  and,  as  we  rode 
down  the  Avenida  de  Mayo,  a  sturdy  fellow,  springing 
out  from  the  sidewalk,  began  to  race  alongside  of  the 


i 


I^st  Days  in  Argentina  295 

vehicle,  holding  u])  u>  \  itu  .1  brass  tag.  with  a  number 
upon  it.  I  knew  who  he  was  and  what  he  wished.  He 
was  a  licensed  porter  (all  persons,  even  porters,  have  to 
be  licensed  before  doing  business  in  Argentina)  and  he 
desired  to  earn  a  fee  for  carr}'ing  our  hand-luggage  on 
board  the  steamer.  I  ordered  the  coachman  to  let  him 
sit  in  front  with  him.  Had  I  not  done  this,  he  would 
have  run  tlie  two  miles  to  the  dock,  and  claimed  the  right 
to  carry  our  things  on  board.  I  resolved  not  to  "give 
him  a  run  for  his  money, "  and  bade  him  hop  into  the 
rig.  This  is  a  common  sight  in  Buenos  Aires,  and 
having  witnessed  it  both  on  going  to  the  trains  and  to 
the  boat,  it  banished  completely  from  my  mind  the 
thought,  that,  at  least  when  in  Buenos  Aires,  I  was  in 
the  sleej)y  "land  of  manana."  A  man,  who  on  a  hot 
day  will  run  alongside  of  a  fast-trotting  horse  for  two 
miles  for  the  sake  of  picking  up  a  small  fee  at  the  end 
of  the  trip,  is  certainly  not  afflicted  with  laziness. 

WTien  we  reached  the  ship  we  found  ourselves  sur- 
rounded by  friends,  some  of  whom  had  come  in  from 
I^  Plata,  others  from  different  parts  of  Buenos  Aires 
to  bid  us  farewell.  There  was  my  witty  friend  Senor 
Don  Agustin  Alvarez,  who  confided  to  me  aside  that 
he  had  upon  due  reflection  made  a  discovery.  "We 
hold  it  a  truth  in  mathematics,"  he  said,  "that  the 
product  of  two  or  more  factors  is  the  same,  no  matter 
how  they  may  be  arranged.  It  is  not  so  in  language. 
I  come  to  say  'Good-by'  to  you.  I  put  the  word  by 
after  the  word  Good,  which  in  this  case  is  the  old 
Anglo-Saxon  word  for  God.  I  express 'the  hope  that 
God  may  be  hy  or  with  you  wherever  you  go.  But  were 
I  to  prefix  the  word  by  to  the  noun —  Well !  it  would  be 
different."  There  was  smiling  Dr.  Roth,  who  had  been 
my   guide   through   the   swamps   of    thr    P.ir.ina    antl 


296  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

about  the  barrancas  of  Mar  del  Plata.  There  was 
Dr.  Walter  G.  Davis,  whom  everybody  loves  for  what 
he  is  and  for  what  he  does.  There  was  my  amiable 
host,  Dr.  Hussey,  who  had  come  to  bid  Godspeed  to 
his  parting  guest.  There  were  scores  of  others,  friends 
who  had  been  made  on  the  outward  voyage,  or  whom 
we  had  learned  to  know  since  we  had  come  into  the 
land.  I  confess  that  after  such  display  of  cordiality-  I 
felt  a  little  tugging  at  the  heart-strings,  even  though 
I  knew  I  was  "going  home." 

At  last  the  bugle  sounded.  The  visitors  on  board 
slowly  departed,  passing  in  a  long  stream  down  the  gang- 
plank. The  hawsers  which  bound  her  were  one  by  one 
cast  off.  Slowly  and  carefully  she  was  jockeyed  in  her 
narrow  berth,  now  going  aside,  now  astern,  now  creep- 
ing this  way  and  that,  until  at  last  her  prow  pointed 
straight  for  the  open  gateway  of  the  dock,  when  she 
began  majestically  to  glide  away  into  the  broad  river, 
which  is  the  gateway  to  the  ocean.  As  I  looked  back 
Dr.  Hussey  and  Dr.  Alvarez  were  still  standing  on  the 
pier  waving  their  handkerchiefs. 

The  morning  of  the  following  day  found  us  lying 
at  anchor  at  Montevideo.  The  swift  Mihanovitch 
steamer,  which  had  left  Buenos  Aires  eight  hours  after 
we  had  sailed,  came  gliding  into  the  harbor,  and  from 
it  were  brought  to  us  letters  and  newspapers  sent  by 
friends  from  whom  we  had  parted  the  morning  before. 
At  Montevideo  the  passenger-list  received  a  number 
of  recruits.  The  day  was  cloudy  and  rainy  and  we 
resolved  not  to  attempt  to  go  ashore.  As  we  looked 
about  us  at  the  busy  harbor  and  the  noble  city  the 
reflection  could  not  fail  to  arise  that  time  has  wrought 
wonderful  changes  here  as  elsewhere.  The  story'  of  the 
metropolis  of  Uruguay  is  a  long  one,  full  of  elements 


Last  Days  in  Argentina  297 

which  are  thrilling.  The  ground  before  us  has  had  its 
full  baptism  of  blood;  the  smooth  gray  waters  of  the 
harbor,  dimpled  to-day  by  the  rain,  have  been  spattered 
more  than  once  with  shot  and  shell.  Belgium  has  been 
styled  "the  cockpit  of  Europe,"  and  Uruguay  for  like 
reasons  may  well  be  called  the  cockpit  of  South 
America. 

The  fighting  began  when  the  Spaniards  first  at- 
tempted to  wrest  the  land  from  the  Ind'ans,  who  in- 
habited it.  These  were  the  Charruas,  a  tribe  who 
combined  with  great  personal  braver>'  an  instinct  for 
organization  and  regular  resistance,  which  made  them 
the  terror  of  the  whites.  For  nearly  two  centuries  they 
held  out  against  the  European  colonists,  who  came  to 
regard  the  region  as  a  bloody  land,  upon  the  soil  of 
which  it  was  not  well  to  try  to  tread.  Buenos  Aires 
had  been  in  existence  for  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  before  white  men 
succeeded  in  obtaining  a  permanent  foothold  on  the 
opposite  north  bank.  Both  Portugal  and  Spain  laid 
claim  to  the  countr>'.  The  Portuguese  maintained  that 
the  territory  of  Brazil  extended  to  the  south  as  far 
as  the  banks  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata;  Spain  on  the  other 
hand  asserted  that  the  whole  region  as  far  north  as 
Santos  belonged  to  her.  Neither  had  made  any  attempt 
of  consequence  to  occupy  the  countr\'  because  of  the 
hostility  of  the  Charruas. 

In  1680  the  first  decisive  step  was  taJcen  by  the 
Portuguese  who  sent  an  expedition  to  the  River  Plate 
and  commenced  a  settlement  directly  opposite  Buenos 
Aires,  to  which  they  gave  the  name  of  Co'onia.  The 
river  is  too  wide  at  Buenos  Aires  to  see  what  is  going  on 
upon  the  other  side,  and  the  Portuguese  therefore  had 
time  to  begin  l.iying  out   their  town,   to  erect  earth- 


298  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

works  about  it,  and  prepare  it  for  defence,  before  the 
Spaniards  in  Buenos  Aires  had  gotten  wind  of  what  was 
taking  place.  When  at  last  the  Commandant  at  Buenos 
Aires  received  intelligence  of  what  had  been  done 
across  the  river,  he  gathered  a  small  arm}^  and,  crossing 
the  stream,  overpowered  the  Portuguese,  drove  them 
from  the  settlement,  and  razed  their  defences.  Portu- 
gal formally  protested  against  this  act,  and  the 
authorities  at  Madrid  disavowed  it,  without,  however, 
retracting  their  claim  to  the  territory  north  of  the  river. 
In  1683  the  Portuguese  resumed  possession  of  Colonia. 
Thereafter  for  many  years  the  place  became  the  center 
of  a  great  contraband  trade  with  the  Spanish  colonies 
on  the  River  Plate.  In  1705  war  having  broken  out 
between  Spain  and  Portugal,  the  Spanish  troops  in 
Buenos  Aires  were  again  sent  over  the  river  and  took 
possession  of  Colonia  and  held  it  for  eleven  years  until 
at  the  end  of  the  war  it  was  restored  to  the  Portuguese 
by  the  Treaty  of  Utrecht. 

In  1 723  the  Portuguese  decided  upon  a  further  occu- 
pation of  the  country,  and  seizing  the  site  of  Monte- 
video, began  to  entrench  themselves  there.  When 
information  of  the  fact  reached  Buenos  Aires,  the  Gov- 
ernor dispatched  a  strong  force  to  the  place,  compelled 
the  Portuguese  to  withdraw,  took  possession  of  their 
uncompleted  works,  strengthened  them,  and  prepared 
himself  to  hold  the  place  against  all  comers.  In  1726 
the  town  of  Alontevideo  was  laid  out  and  five  years 
afterward  it  had  a  population  of  one  thousand  souls. 
In  1730  Maldonado  was  settled  by  the  Spanish.  Soon 
after  this  a  Portuguese  expedition  arrived,  and  made 
an  attempt  to  dislodge  the  Spanish,  but,  fail  ng  in  this, 
established  themselves  in  what  is  now  the  Brazilian 
State  of  Rio  Grande  do  Sul.     For  the  next  fifty  years 


i 


Last  Days  in  Argentina  299 

the  story  of  Uruguay  is  the  history  of  constant  strui^i^les 
between  the  two  Powers  to  gain  the  mastery  of  the 
territory.  It  was  not  until  the  signing  of  the  Treaty  of 
San  Ildefonso  in  1777  that  these  conflicts  came  nomi- 
nally to  an  end.  By  this  treaty  the  power  of  Spa  n, 
which  had  occupied  the  land  with  a  great  army,  rein- 
forced by  a  powerful  fleet,  was  recognized  as  extending 
over  the  whole  of  what  is  now  the  modem  State  of 
Uruguay,  the  settlement  of  Colonia  was  transferred  to 
the  Spanish  Crown,  and  Portugal  was  given  the  tcrri- 
tor}'  on  the  Atlantic  seaboard  comprised  within  the 
States  of  Santa  Catharina  and  Rio  Grande  do  Sul, 
almost  as  they  ai)pcar  upon  the  maps  of  the  present 
time. 

From  the  date  of  the  settlement  effected  by  the 
Treaty  of  San  Ildefonso,  Uruguay  began  to  assume 
importance  as  a  Spanish  province.  A  considerable 
influx  of  Spanish  immigrants  arrived  at  Montevideo. 
Many  of  these  belonged  to  old  and  influential  Castilian 
families,  and  the  town  put  on  aristocratic  airs,  while 
what  our  American  forefathers  designated  as  the  "  back- 
woods,"  were  tenanted  by  the  Creole  element,  partly 
of  mixed  blood,  a  marauding,  beef-eating,  bellicose 
swarm  of  rough-riders  and  swashbucklers,  who  carried 
on  a  perpetual  guerrilla  with  the  Indians  and  with  the 
Portuguese  inhabitants  of  Rio  Grande  do  Sul,  who  in 
turn  retaliated  in  quite  as  savage  a  fashion. 

In  1 806  the  English  took  Buenos  Aires  and  many  of  the 
Spanish  people  fled  to  Montevideo,  where  an  expedition 
against  the  British  was  organized  which  resulted  in  their 
expulsion  from  Buenos  Aires.  In  January,  1807.  the 
English  sent  an  expedition  by  way  of  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  which  bombarded  Montevideo  and  took  the  place 
by  assault  with  frightful  loss  of  life  on  both  sides.    The 


300         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

attempt  of  the  English  to  take  Buenos  Aires  failed  a  little 
later,  and  the  English  then  withdrew  from  Buenos  Aires 
and  Montevideo,  leaving  behind  them  a  lot  of  merchants 
who  found  trade  with  the  natives  profitable.  This 
marked  the  beginning  of  English  commercial  relation- 
ships with  the  country  which  have  grown  increasingly- 
important  with  the  lapse  of  years.  To  tell  the  story  of 
the  civil  wars,  the  revolutions,  and  conflicts  with  Argen- 
tina, Paraguay,  and  Brazil  which  took  place  during  the 
Nineteenth  Century  would  require  many  chapters.  The 
land  was  not  free  from  turmoil  during  nearly  the  whole  of 
the  last  century,  and  it  is  only  within  the  last  fifteen  years 
that  the  country  has  known  the  blessings  of  peace.  In 
spite  of  the  turbulence,  the  restlessness,  and  the  war- 
like disposition  of  its  people,  the  land  seems  to  have 
prospered  and  Montevideo,  as  we  looked  at  it  from  the 
deck  of  the  steamer  while  we  rode  at  anchor,  seemed, 
as  it  is  indeed,  a  beautiful  and  pleasant  city. 

One  of  those  who  took  passage  at  Montevideo  was 
Senor  Don  Carlos  Blixen,  the  Minister  Plenipotentiary 
of  Uruguay  going  by  way  of  New  York  and  Washing- 
ton to  represent  his  country  in  Venezuela.  He  was 
assigned  a  seat  opposite  to  me  at  the  Captain's  table, 
and  we  soon  discovered  that  because  of  early  training 
and  tastes  we  were  congenial  spirits.  Seiior  Blixen, 
on  his  father's  side  of  Scandinavian  descent,  on  his 
mother's  side  Spanish  and  a  kinsman  of  the  ex-Empress 
Eugenie,  is  a  fine  linguist,  a  devoted  student  of  the 
ancient  classics,  a  lover  of  nature,  and  a  man  who  has 
mingled  much  with  men,  and  endured  hardship  and 
danger  as  a  soldier  in  the  service  of  his  country.  He 
was  not  the  only  choice  spirit  with  whom  I  became 
acquainted  on  the  voyage.  The  Captain,  wise  man,  had 
seated  on  either  side  of  him  two  charming  ladies.     It 


Last  Days  in  Argentina  301 

fell  to  my  lot  to  be  placed  beside  the  one  at  the  Cap- 
tain's right.  I  soon  discovered  that  we  had  mutual 
friends  in  our  home-land.  To  my  right  was  another 
fair  lady,  the  wife  of  the  First  Vice-President  of  the 
Bethlehem  Steel  Company,  whose  father  and  mother 
had  belonged  to  the  circle  of  my  friends  in  youth. 
Again  let  me  remark  that  this  is  a  very  small  world, 
and,  travel  where  we  may,  we  are  certain  to  find  those 
who  know  us,  or  know  those  by  whom  we  are  known. 
1 1  was  a  delightful  company  which  assemblotl  for  the 
long  voyage  which  was  before  us,  and  those  of  us  who 
met  will  never  cease  to  remember  it  with  pleasure. 


CHAPTER  XX 

SAO    PAULO 

"  Ne  care  ne  feare  I  how  the  wind  do  blow, 
Or  whether  swift  I  wend  or  whether  slow: 
Both  slow  and  swift  alike  do  serve  my  tourne; 
Ne  swelling  Neptwne  ne  lowd-thundring  Jove 
Can  chaunge  my  cheare,  or  make  me  ever  moume." 

Spenser,  The  Fairie  Queene. 

TUST  before  we  docked  at  Santos  I  packed  a  small 
^  hand-satchel  with  such  things  as  I  might  need 
during  a  brief  stay  on  shore,  and  came  on  deck  with  my 
rain-coat  over  my  arm  and  the  satchel  in  my  hand. 
"Where  are  you  going?"  said  the  Minister  Plenipoten- 
tiary. "I  am  going  to  take  the  first  train  I  can  catch 
for  Sao  Paulo.  I  shall  spend  the  afternoon  and  the 
evening  of  to-day  in  that  city,  and  then  to-night  I  am 
going  by  the  fast  express  to  Rio  de  Janeiro,  and  will 
rejoin  the  steamer  to-morrow,  or  next  day."  "I  am 
going  with  you,  if  I  may, "  came  the  reply.  The  matter 
was  quickly  arranged.  His  Excellency  in  a  few  minutes 
gathered  together  the  things  needed  for  his  trip,  and 
reappeared  upon  deck.  We  were  the  first  to  go  over 
the  side  of  the  ship.  We  found  out  that  we  would  have 
time  to  draw  some  money,  and  also  to  take  an  early 
luncheon,  before  the  train  started.  We  not  only  did 
this,  but  had  time  to  go  to  the  park  and  have  a  look  at 
the  sloths  crawling  about  in  the  tree-tops. 

302 


Sao  Paulo  30^'^ 

By  the  advice  of  friends  we  took  our  seats  on  the 
left-hand  side  of  the  railway  carriage.  We  were  told 
that  this  would  enable  us  to  get  the  best  views  as  we 
climbed  the  mountains.  The  railway  for  the  first  few 
minutes  after  leaving  Sao  Paulo  traverses  a  low  swampy 
plain  overgrown  with  mangroves,  and  intersected  with 
tidal  creeks.  Here  and  there  were  clumps  of  various 
larger  tropical  trees,  some  of  them  in  bloom.  One 
species  greatly  awakened  my  admiration,  but  I  am  not 
able  to  identify  it.  It  was  a  tree  from  fifteen  to  twcnly- 
five  feet  in  height,  having  a  pyramidal  growth.  All  of 
these  trees  were  a  glorious  mass  of  large  pale  lilac 
blossoms,  with  darker  puqjle  throats.  Each  blossom 
appeared  to  be  from  three  to  four  inches  in  diameter 
across  the  corolla.  The  train  was  moving  too  rapidly 
to  allow  me  more  than  to  grasp  the  singular  beauty  of 
these  great  pyramids  of  bloom,  which  here  and  there 
rose  up  out  of  the  surrounding  swamps.  Some  of  my 
botanical  friends  may  perhaps  smile  at  my  failure 
to  recognize  the  genus,  but  botanizing  on  a  railway 
train  going  thirty-five  miles  an  hour  is  not  easy.  Ahead 
of  us  were  the  dark  verdurous  flanks  of  the  mountains, 
which  rise  all  along  the  seacoast  a  few  miles  from  the 
beach,  and  reach  an  elevation  of  from  twenty-five 
hundred  to  three  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea.  Their  tops  were  covered  with  dark  clouds.  We 
rapidly  approached  them,  and  as  we  came  to  the  foot 
of  a  steep  spur  jutting  out  into  the  low-lying  plain,  we 
saw  that  up  its  ridge  went  the  shining  double  track  of 
the  railway.  The  locomotive  which  ha'd  drawn  us  to 
the  foot  of  the  incline  was  shunted  to  a  side-track,  and 
another  was  made  fast  behind  to  push  the  train  up  the 
slope.  We  went  at  the  heaw  grade  slowly,  but  the 
snorting  of  the  engine  behind  us  proved  that  it  required 


304  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

all  the  energy  it  could  develop  in  order  to  overcome  the 
resistance.  We  rose  from  the  flat  swamp  lands  and 
found  ourselves  after  a  few  moments  traveling  along 
the  side  of  a  deep  ravine,  below  us  the  railway  terminal 
and  the  cottages  of  the  operatives  clustered  about  it. 
On  the  opposite  side  the  flanks  of  the  mountains  were 
covered  with  plantations  of  bananas.  Looking  back- 
ward, we  saw  the  city  of  Santos,  the  harbor,  the  streams 
which  traverse  the  swamps,  all  mapped  out  below 
us.  Overhead  were  the  lowering  clouds,  gloomy  and 
threatening  rain.  In  every  chink  and  cranny  of  the 
rocky  walls  ferns  and  mosses  were  growing,  save  where 
the  faces  of  the  cuts  had  been  covered  with  asphalt,  no 
doubt  to  keep  the  vegetation  from  taking  hold.  Higher 
and  ever  higher  we  rose.  Now  we  ran  through  a  short 
tunnel  and  looking  down,  as  we  emerged  again  into  the 
light,  we  saw  that  the  track  was  skirting  the  edge  of  a 
steep  precipice.  We  ran  through  one  tunnel  after  the 
other;  there  must  have  been  a  dozen  of  them  before  we 
reached  the  top  of  the  ascent.  We  crawled  around  the 
jutting  shoulders  of  the  mountain.  We  felt  the  air 
grow  cooler.  Wisps  of  fog  began  to  float  below  us  in 
the  deep  green  abyss  into  which  we  gazed.  We  saw 
that  we  were  rising  nearer  and  ever  nearer  to  the  great 
billowing  masses  of  cloud  which  hung  overhead.  We 
came  to  them.  We  entered  them.  It  was  dark  and  the 
air  grew  clammy.  The  fog  streamed  into  the  windows 
of  the  train.  The  landscape  was  blotted  out  of  sight. 
Still  upward  we  went,  the  engine  behind  us  with  quick 
pulsations  beating  the  time  of  our  skyward  march. 
At  last  it  began  to  grow  lighter.  Ahead  of  us  the  mists 
seemed  to  be  becoming  thinner.  The  speed  of  the 
train  was  accelerated.  We  were  beginning  to  run  on 
more  level  ground.    Presently  out  of  the  fog  loomed  up 


a  collection  of  buildings,  and  we  ran  into  the  terminal 
on  the  top  of  the  mountain,  half  a  mile  higher  than 
Santos,  where  we  had  left  our  shii)mate.>  sweltering  in 
the  heat.  A  cool  wind  from  the  west  began  to  blow  in 
our  faces.  The  clouds  began  to  disapj^ear.  Another 
locomotive  was  backed  down  and  attached  to  the  front 
of  the  train.  We  started  off  at  a  merr>'  gait,  and  were 
presently  winding  our  way  across  the  great  upland 
plateau,  upon  which  the  city  of  Sao  Paulo  is  seated. 
It  does  not  take  long  to  make  the  run  from  the  top  of 
the  great  mountain  wall  to  the  city.  The  sun  came  out 
in  splendor.  The  land  is  rolling.  Most  of  it  has  been 
denuded  of  its  original  forest  growths.  Low  scrubby 
thickets  and  clumps  of  second  growth  jjrcvail.  The 
soil  is  red.  The  vegetation  is  very  different  from  that 
of  the  tidal  plain  which  we  had  traversed  as  we  came 
out  of  Santos.  Everywhere  there  appeared  fields  in 
which  cattle  and  horses  were  grazing.  An  occasional 
palm  served  to  remind  us  that  we  were  in  the  tropics. 
Had  it  not  been  for  this,  and  the  curious  ant-nests, 
which  appeared  upon  the  trees  and  the  sides  of  the 
railway  cuts  and  embankments,  I  might  have  thought 
that  I  was  traveling  in  the  western  parts  of  the  Caro- 
linas.  Could  the  blackjack  oaks  of  the  Carolinian 
foothills  have  been  thrown  into  the  picture,  the  illusion 
would  have  been  perfect. 

We  soon  began  to  realize  that  we  were  approaching 
a  large  city.  Standing  on  a  hill  to  the  left  we  saw  a 
stately  building,  which  I  at  once  recognized  as  the 
Palace  of  Ypiranga.  I  knew  it  from  pictures  which  I 
recalled  having  seen.  This  was  my  destination,  and  it 
was  to  pay  my  respects  to  my  friend  and  correspondent 
of  many  years,  Dr.  Hermann  von  Ihering,  the  most 
famous  naturalist  in  Brazil,  who  is  the  Custodian  of 


3o6  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

the  noble  edifice,  that  I  had  jjlanned  my  trip  lo  Sao 
Paulo.  The  Ypiranga  Palace,  or  Monument,  as  it  is 
often  called,  was  erected  to  commemorate  the  inde- 
pendence of  Brazil,  and  it  houses  to-day  the  valuable 
collections  of  the  Muscu  Paulista  of  which  Dr.  von 
Ihering  is  the  Director. 

We  arrived  at  the  imposing  railway  station  on  time. 
The  building  was  a  mass  of  bunting  and  of  flags,  among 
which  were  many  religious  emblems.  Inquiry  elicited 
the  fact  that  the  Roman  Catholic  bishop  had  just 
returned  from  a  visit  to  Europe,  and  that  the  city  was 
preparing  to  give  him  a  hearty  welcome  upon  his 
arrival,  which  would  take  place  a  little  later  in  the  day. 
The  bishop  evidently  is  a  popular  person,  or  else  his 
followers  are  infected  with  great  zeal  for  the  cause  he 
represents.  Our  first  step  was  to  go  to  the  booking- 
office  and  secure  sleeping  accommodations  on  the  night 
train  for  Rio  de  Janeiro.  We  were  met  with  the  familiar 
statement :  ' '  Lower  berths  all  sold ;  nothing  but  uppers 
left."  Inasmuch  as  neither  his  Excellency  nor  I  cared 
to  miss  our  steamer  at  Rio  de  Janeiro,  and  the  Captain 
had  not  given  us  positive  assurance  that  he  would  stay 
more  than  the  day  at  Rio,  and  might  sail  on  the  evening 
of  the  morrow,  we  resolved  to  invest  in  upper  berths. 
Then  we  found  our  way  to  the  nearest  hotel,  told  the 
landlord  to  send  for  an  automobile,  and  to  call  up  Dr. 
von  Ihering  at  Ypiranga.  In  a  minute  or  two  the  land- 
lord announced  that  Dr.  von  Ihering  "was  at  the 
telephone."  "Hola!  spreche  ich  mit  dem  Herrn  Dr. 
von  Ihering?"  "Ja,  wer  sind  Sie?"  'Teh  bin  dcr  Dr. 
Holland."  "Der  Dr.  Holland  von  Pittsburgh?"  "Ja, 
derselbe, "  and  amidst  protestations  of  astonishment  at 
hearing  my  voice,  and  discovering  that  I  was  in  town, 
my  friend  quickly   told  me  what  directions  to  give  to 


S^o  Paulo  307 

the  chauffeur  to  bring  us  most  expeditiously  to  the 
Museum,  where  he  told  me  he  would  be  delighted  to 
await  our  arrival. 

The  ride  to  Ypiranga  consumed  half  an  hour.  The 
Palace  is  built  upon  the  top  of  an  eminence  from 
which  there  is  obtained  a  view  over  a  wide  expanse  of 
country',  with  the  city  lying  below  in  the  middle  dis- 
tance. The  surrounding  grounds  are  laid  out  with 
taste,  and  there  were  great  parterres  of  beautiful 
flowers  blooming  along  the  walks  and  driveways,  which 
lead  to  the  entrance  of  the  edifice.  Leaving  the  car 
with  the  chauffeur  at  the  outer  gate  of  the  grounds  we 
walked  toward  the  building.  Not  a  soul  was  in  sight, 
and  all  the  doors  of  the  huge  pile  seemed  to  be  closed. 
My  companion  suggested  that  instead  of  going  straight 
up  to  the  main  entrance,  we  perhaps  would  have  done 
better  to  have  asked  a  man  whom  we  had  passed,  as 
we  came  through  the  gates,  to  guide  us.  I  ventured 
to  dissent,  saying  that  from  one  or  the  other  of  the  many 
^^nndows  no  doubt  Dr.  von  Ihering  had  commanded 
some  one  to  look  out  for  us,  and  that  our  approach 
through  the  grounds  had  already  been  noted.  "Front 
doors  for  me  always,  Mr.  Minister !  The  Great  Teacher, 
you  will  recall,  had  some  tart  things  to  say  about 
people  who  tr}'  to  get  in  by  back  doors  and  over  walls. " 
So  we  went  up  the  great  flight  of  stone  steps,  and  as  we 
approached  the  entrance  a  servant  in  liver>'  swung  it 
open,  bowed,  and  said,  "You  are  the  gentlemen  whom 
the  Doctor  is  expecting,  not  so?"  Our  reply  being  in 
the  affirmative,  he  bade  us  enter,  and  in  a  moment  the 
Doctor  himself  came  to  greet  us.  It  was  a  delightful 
meeting.  After  two  men  have  corresponded  with  each 
other  for  years,  and  have  learned  to  thus  know  each 
other,  it  is  a  great  pleasure  to  meet  face  to  face,  and  to 


3o8        To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

clasp  hands.  Of  course  we  desired  to  see  the  building 
and  to  have  a  good  look  at  the  contents  of  the  various 
rooms.  The  first  chamber  into  which  we  were  con- 
ducted was  a  sumptuous  apartment  one  of  the  chief 
adornments  of  which  is  a  great  painting  representing 
Dom  Pedro  I.  on  the  heights  of  Ypiranga,  surrounded 
by  his  loyal  retainers  and  adherents,  proclaiming  the 
independence  of  Brazil  from  Portugal.  The  story  of 
the  separation  between  the  two  countries  in  some 
respects  is  like  that  of  the  separation  which  took  place 
between  Great  Britain  and  the  Thirteen  Colonies.  The 
old  question  of  legislation  without  proper  representa- 
tion lay  at  the  bottom  of  the  conflict.  It  is  true  that 
Portugal  had  given  Brazil  representation  in  the  Cortes, 
but  the  Cortes  did  not  always  wait  for  the  delegates 
from  Brazil  to  arrive  and  take  part  in  the  sessions.  In 
the  spring  of  1822,  the  Cortes  proceeded  in  the  absence 
of  the  Brazilians  to  legislate  for  them  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  arouse  deep  resentment.  Pedro,  the  Prince 
Regent,  who  had  already  proclaimed  himself  "Perpetual 
Defender  and  Protector  of  Brazil,"  on  September  7, 
1822,  hearing  of  still  further  v  olent  measures  which 
had  been  adopted  by  the  Cortes,  drew  his  sword,  and 
in  the  presence  of  the  generals  of  the  army  and  the 
officers  of  the  government  uttered  the  memorable 
words,  "  Independencia  ou  Morte!"  These  words  are 
inscribed  under  the  great  painting  before  which  we 
were  standing  in  the  Palace.  Not  long  after  this 
utterance  he  was  proclaimed  Constitutional  Emperor 
of  Brazil.  It  is  worth  remembering  that  Dom  Pedro  I., 
in  taking  the  step  he  took  on  September  7,  1822,  was  in 
fact  only  carrying  out  the  advice  of  his  father,  the 
King  of  Portugal,  who  had  suggested  to  him  that  in  the 
event   of  a   separation   between   Portugal  and   Brazil 


Sao  Pciulo  309 

which  King  John  foresaw  might  occur,  rather  than  have 
the  government  fall  into  strange  hands,  Pedro  had  bet- 
ter assume  the  reins  of  control  himself,  and  keep  the 
sovereignty  of  Brazil  in  the  family.  It  remained  in  the 
hands  of  the  house  of  Braganza  until  the  middle  of 
November,  1889,  when  the  Emperor,  Dom  Pedro  II., 
was  forced  to  abdicate,  and  the  republic  was  declared. 
From  the  large  salon  in  which  the  collection  of 
historical  paintings  is  preserved,  wc  went  to  the  various 
rooms  in  which  the  mineralogical,  botanical,  zoological, 
ethnological,  and  archeological  collections  are  arranged. 
I  was  particularly  interested  in  the  collection  of  nests 
of  ants,  bees,  and  wasps,  which  Dr.  von  Ihcring  has 
assembled.  These  "homes  made  without  hands"  are 
very  curious,  and  display  a  wonderful  diversity  in  form 
and  interior  arrangement.  The  intelligence  manifested 
by  the  tiny  architects  of  these  structures  is  most 
extraordinary.  The  great  assemblage  of  insects,  shells, 
fishes,  reptiles,  birds,  and  mammals  deserved  for  its 
inspection  much  more  time  than  wr  had  at  our  com- 
mand. We  could  at  best  only  take  a  general  view  of 
the  treasures  gathered  in  the  halls  of  the  institution, 
pausing  here  and  there  before  those  things  which  were 
especially  interesting,  asking  questions,  and  receiving 
answers.  We  were  impressed  with  the  fact  brought  out 
in  our  conversation  with  Dr.  von  Ihering  that  many 
forms  of  wild  life  are  rapidly  disiippearing.  The  mon- 
keys are  fast  becoming  extinct.  Species  which  a  feu 
years  ago  were  quite  common  have  vanished  from  the 
territories  in  which  they  abounded.  Tfie  same  thing 
is  true  of  a  number  of  the  other  mammalia,  and  is  also 
true  of  the  birds.  Conversation  turned  ujjon  the  Golden 
Plover,  which  used  in  comparatively  recent  years  to  be 
a  common  bird  in  the  eastern  ix>rtions  of  North  Amcr- 


310  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

ica,  whence  in  the  fall  of  the  year  it  migrated  to  the 
uplands  of  Sao  Paulo  and  to  the  pampas  of  Argentina. 
It  has  become  almost  totally  extinct.  Breeding  at  one 
time  in  immen  e  numbers  in  the  region  of  Hudson  Bay, 
it  passed  southward  along  the  Atlantic  seaboard  and 
by  way  of  the  West  Indies  to  the  southern  portions  of 
South  America.  Both  on  its  way  south  and  on  its  way 
north,  and  on  the  plains  where  it  sought  its  winter 
home,  it  was  shot  for  the  table,  and  to-day  has  dis- 
appeared from  the  face  of  the  earth  almost  as  com- 
pletely as  the  passenger  pigeon.  A  few  still  survive,  but 
very  few.  The  destruction  of  living  things  within  the 
past  fifty  years  has  been  going  on  at  such  a  rate,  that  it 
is  the  highest  time  to  seek  concerted  action  on  the  part 
of  the  various  governments  to  stay  the  slaughter,  and 
conserve  what  is  left.  Many  of  the  birds  of  North 
America  spend  the  winter  in  the  lands  of  Central  and 
South  America,  and  it  is  to  the  interest  of  the  two 
Americas  that  steps  should  be  taken  to  protect  the 
bird-life  of  the  two  continents.  The  most  reprehensible 
use  to  which  birds  are  put  is  as  articles  of  millinery. 
Brazilian  humming-birds  are  sold  as  hat-trimmings  in 
the  London  markets  by  the  hundreds  of  thousands,  and 
millions  of  other  bright-plumaged  birds  are  annually 
disposed  of  in  this  way,  so  that  whole  tribes  and  races 
of  feathered  songsters  are  almost  gone  from  the  face 
of  the  globe.  The  wickedness  of  this  slaughter  of  the 
innocents  will  bring  to  this  world  a  sad  recompense  of 
evil,  for  the  result  is  a  destruction  of  the  balance  of 
nature,  and  an  enormous  increase  of  insect-life.  Kill 
the  birds,  and  the  result  is  a  multiplication  of  insect- 
pests,  which  ravage  the  fields  and  the  orchards.  The 
present  high  cost  of  living,  of  which  complaint  is  be- 
ing made   in  all  lands,  is  partly  attributable  to  the 


Sclo  Paulo  31 1 

wanton  slaughter  of  the  birds,  the  best  friends  of  th(" 
agrieulturist. 

The  sun  was  sinking  toward  the  west,  when  wc  took 
leave  of  the  genial  Director  of  the  Museu  Paulista. 
He  walked  down  with  us  to  the  entrance  of  the  groun<Js, 
and  there  bade  us  farewell.  We  instructed  the  chauffeur 
to  drive  us  into  the  city  and  to  give  us  a  chance  at 
least  to  see  the  exterior  of  its  more  notable  buildings  be- 
fore the  darkness  should  come  on.  We  had  a  glimpse 
of  the  Municipal  Theater,  which  has  recently  been 
erected,  and  which  is  not  surpassed  by  any  building 
of  its  kind  in  the  cities  of  North  America.  We  saw  the 
various  public  buildings  used  by  the  Government  of 
the  State  and  by  the  Municipal  Authorities;  we  hur- 
riedly looked  at  the  Law  School,  the  Public  Librar}', 
the  Polytechnic  School,  and  had  the  location  of  Mc- 
Kenzie  College  pointed  out  to  us.  The  latter  institu- 
tion, which  owes  its  origin  and  development  to  the 
self-denying  efforts  of  philanthropic  citizens  of  the 
United  States  of  North  America,  is  doing  a  noble  work 
in  providing  the  means  of  thorough  education  for  the 
youth  of  both  sexes  in  the  land.  We  w^re  driven 
through  long  avenues,  on  either  side  of  which  were 
ranged  homes  of  beauty  and  comfort.  The  impression 
left  upon  our  minds  was  altogether  pleasing.  It  is  "  no 
mean  city"  -this  city  of  Sao  Paulo — with  its  thou- 
sands of  delightful  residences,  its  more  than  six  hundred 
streets  and  avenues,  its  fine  public  edifices,  its  hand- 
some parks,  and  its  multitude  of  shops,  warehouses, 
and  manufacturing  establishments.  Atr  last  it  began 
to  grow  dark.  The  air  was  chilly,  almost  cold.  We 
betook  ourselves  to  the  hotel,  and  had  our  evening 
meal. 

About  nine  o'clock  we  boarded  fh(^  train  whirh  was 


312  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

to  take  us  to  Rio  de  Janeiro.  We  were  presently  under 
way.  The  inspection  of  the  upper  berths,  to  the  occu- 
pancy of  which  we  were  apparently  doomed,  was  dis- 
heartening. I  tried  to  effect  a  change,  but  met  with  no 
encouragement  from  the  official  to  whom  I  addressed 
myself.  He  told  me  he  could  do  nothing.  I  made  up 
my  mind  not  to  go  to  bed  at  all,  but  pass  the  night  in 
solitary  vigil  at  an  open  car  window  in  the  corridor. 
His  Excellency  disappeared  in  the  direction  of  the 
compartment  to  which  he  had  been  assigned.  I  thought 
he  had  retired  for  the  n  ght,  but  he  presently  came  to 
me  remarking:  "Great  is  diplomacy!  I  hav^e  made  a 
diplomatic  stroke,  and  you  can  do  the  same  thing. 
There  is  an  empty  sleeping-car  just  behind  the  one  in 
which  we  now  are.  I  discovered  that  the  porter  is 
willing  to  give  me  a  compartment  to  myself  upon  pay- 
ment to  him  of  five  thousand  reis.  As  we  have  already 
each  of  us  paid  twenty  thousand  reis  for  an  upper 
berth,  it  seems  a  small  matter  to  spend  another  five 
thousand,  or  an  increase  of  twenty  per  cent.,  to  get  a 
lower  in  an  unoccupied  compartment.  Get  your  things 
and  follow  me. "  "I  thank  thee,  most  excellent  ]\Iinis- 
ter,  for  this  information.  I  gladly  and  at  once  enroll 
myself  in  the  corps  diplomatique.'"  And  so  it  came 
to  pass  that  we  both  obtained  what  we  had  despaired 
of  getting — a  place  in  which  to  sleep,  without  having 
underneath  us  in  the  lower  berth  a  fellow-mortal,  who 
might  drive  us  to  the  verge  of  insanity  by  snoring 
through  all  the  long  hours  of  the  night. 

But  I  could  not  sleep.  I  turned  the  pillows  to  the 
other  end  of  the  bed  next  the  window,  and  placed  my- 
self so  that  I  could  look  out  upon  the  moonlit  andscape. 
I  watched  the  outlines  of  the  hills.  I  saw  the  fireflies 
as  they  flashed  forth  in  the  shadows.     I  observed  the 


Sao  I'aulo  313 

people  who  were  gathered  aboul  the  stations,  where 
now  and  then  we  stopped;  many  of  them  were  negroes, 
or  half-breed  Indians.  All  at  onee  I  was  startled  by  a 
terrific  noise  under  my  compartment.  There  was  a 
rapid  succession  of  thundering  bl(jws,  and  crashing, 
tearing  sounds.  I  quickly  turned  on  the  electric  light, 
and  pulled  the  cord  which  conveys  the  danger-signal 
forward  to  the  engine.  The  train  stopped.  Men  came 
running  back.  I  told  them  that  underneath  the  car 
something  had  gone  wrong.  They  lowered  their  lan- 
terns and  made  an  inspection.  After  a  hurried  con- 
sultation, one  of  them  ran  forward  to  the  engine,  and 
came  back  with  a  lot  of  tools.  Then  they  crawled 
under  the  car  and  there  was  hammering  and  pound- 
ing, resulting  finally  in  their  dragging  forth  a  large 
iron  tank,  which  it  appeared  had  broken  loose  from 
its  fastenings  behind,  and  had  been  dragging  along, 
hitting  and  hammering  the  ties  as  we  flew  over  the 
track.  The  offending  tank  was  rolled  to  one  side,  the 
men  disappeared,  and  the  train  went  on.  I  was  now 
wide  awake. 

I  lay  and  watched  the  dusky  landscape,  as  it  seemed 
to  rush  by  in  the  night, — the  dark  groves,  the  palm- 
trees,  the  open  fields  in  which  cattle  were  grazing,  the 
cottages  and  farmhouses  gleaming  white  in  the  moon- 
light, the  distant  hills  which  presently  grew  nearer,  and 
bolder,  and  blacker.  The  train  began  to  wind  down 
into  deep  dark  ravines,  where  I  caught  glimpses  of  the 
moonlight  glittering  upon  the  mirror  of  quiet  pools,  or 
scintillating  from  the  confused  waves  of  swiftly  flowing 
rapids.  Toward  morning  when  the  flush  of  dawn 
already  began  to  creep  over  the  sky,  I  fell  into  an 
uneasy  sleep.  I  was  roused  by  the  porter  coming  to 
tender  me  a  cup  of  cofifee.     The  bright  sunlight  was 


314  To  the  River  Plate  and  Rack 

streaming  in  through  the  windows  of  the  car.  I  dressed 
and  resumed  my  contemplation  of  the  fleeting  pano- 
rama. We  were  now  among  the  mountains  of  the 
eastern  coast.  The  scenery  was  beautiful,  the  vegeta- 
tion in  the  ravines  and  on  the  hills  was  fascinating. 
Everywhere  there  was  a  wealth  of  blooming  things. 
Soon  to  our  right  we  descried  the  peaks  of  Tijuca  and 
Corcovado.  There  was  now  no  doubt  that  our  journey 
was  nearing  its  end.  We  presently  rolled  through  the 
suburbs  of  Rio  de  Janeiro,  and  a  little  after  eight  o'clock 
seated  ourselves  at  breakfast  in  one  of  the  hotels  on  the 
Avenida.  We  learned  that  the  Vestris  had  just  dropped 
anchor.  In  less  than  an  hour  we  began  to  welcome  our 
fellow-passengers,  who  had  come  ashore  for  the  day, 
and  strolled  into  the  hotel. 

The  morning  was  spent  in  making  calls,  and  in 
attending  to  the  selection  of  a  few  photographs,  which 
I  found  I  needed.  At  the  noon-hour  I  repaired  to  the 
hotel  on  the  mountain-slope,  and  had  a  most  enjoyable 
luncheon.  Then  I  again  ascended  Corcovado,  and, 
as  the  day  was  almost  cloudless,  had  a  better  view  than 
it  often  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  tourist  to  obtain.  I 
walked  down  the  mountain,  collecting  butterflies  as  I 
descended.  They  were  far  more  numerous  than  they 
had  been  in  the  same  place  five  weeks  before.  When 
I  reached  the  bottom  of  the  long  downward  path,  I 
began  to  feel  that  I  would  be  more  comfortable  in  my 
stateroom  on  the  ship,  riding  far  out  on  the  cool 
waters  of  the  bay.  So  I  hired  a  boatman,  and  just  as 
the  sun  was  setting  he  brought  me  alongs  de  of  the 
steamer,  which  I  already  had  come  to  think  of  as  my 
home.  It  was  pleasant  to  be  welcomed  by  the  cheery 
Captain,  who  was  leaning  over  the  rail  as  I  came  up  the 
ladder.    It  was  good  to  get  into  a  bathtub,  and  efface 


Silo  Tciulo  31.S 

the  memories  of  the  liot  dusty  night  which  had  been 
spent  upon  the  train.  It  was  gtxxl  to  go  early  to 
bed.  with  Sancho  Panza  saying:  "  Bien  haya  el  que 
invento  el  sueno!" — God  bless  the  man  who  first  invented 
s  lee  pi 


CHAPTER  XXI 


TRINIDAD 


"The  sullen  passage  of  thy  weary  steps 

Esteem  a  foil,  wherein  thou  art  to  set 

The  precious  jewel  of  thy  home-return." — Shakespeare. 

E.VRLY  on  the  morning  of  the  first  day  of  November 
the  anchors  came  up,  and  we  were  taken  to  the 
sea-wall  at  the  foot  of  the  Avenida  and  there  made  fast. 
We  were  told  that  the  ship  would  not  sail  until  noon. 
An  automobile  was  therefore  brought  into  requisition, 
and  a  jolly  party,  made  up  of  little  people  and  their 
elders,  the  latter  forming  part  of  the  company  at  the 
Captain's  table,  went  under  the  guidance  of  the  writer 
for  a  short  excursion  through  the  city.  We  drove  out 
to  the  end  of  the  Avenida  Beira.  We  were  interested 
in  seeing  people  being  conveyed  to  the  top  of  Sugar  Loaf 
Mountain  in  a  basket-car  hanging  from  a  steel  cable, 
stretched  from  sea-level  to  the  summit,  just  as  people  are 
conveyed  to  the  top  of  The  Rock  at  Gibraltar.  We 
took  a  peep  at  the  Botanical  Gardens.  We  traversed 
various  streets  of  the  city,  looking  at  the  sights,  and 
finally  came  back  to  the  Avenida,  at  the  lower  end  of 
which  we  saw  the  blue  and  white  funnels  of  our  floating 
hotel.  The  youngsters  having  declared  themselves  to 
be  thirsty,  it  was  proposed  that  we  all  should  indulge  in 
the  mild  luxur>'  of  caldo  da  carta.  This  is  simply  the 
freshly  expressed  juice  of  sugar-cane.  In  the  fruit-shop 
which  we  entered,  there  was  a  small  mountain  of  canes 

316 


J2 


t/)    .2 
-    3 


a.     :s 


Trinid.ul  ;>i7 

jjilcd  up  beside  a  crushing-mill  driven  by  an  clec-trie 
motor.  A  bunch  of  canes  was  cjuickly  sent  through  the 
rollers,  the  juice  was  collected  in  a  receptacle  Ix-neath, 
strained,  emptied  into  a  large  glass  jiitcher,  and  then 
served  to  us  in  tall  tumblers,  into  which  small  lumps  of 
ice  had  first  been  put.  The  juice  has  a  very  pale 
greenish  tint.  The  juvenile  members  of  the  party 
unqualifiedly  i)ronounced  the  beverage  "good,"  and 
called  for  more,  as  also  did  their  elders,  who  at  first 
seemed  to  be  dubious,  and  inclined  to  question  the 
statement  of  the  writer  that  the  fluid  is  palatable,  and 
far  less  likely  to  be  injurious  to  the  stomach  than  in  the 
condensed  form  of  candy.  We  i)urchased  a  basket  of 
tropical  fruits,  custard-apples,  saix)dillas,  papaws, 
avocado- pears,  and  oranges.  The  best  oranges  pro- 
duced in  South  America  are  said  to  bo  grown  at  Bahia. 
The  seedless  orange,  now  so  extensively  cultivated  in 
the  United  States,  originated  in  the  neighborhood  of 
that  place,  and  the  first  plants  were  imported  thence 
into  North  America.  Leaving  the  fruit -store  the 
ladies  of  the  party  did  a  little  shopping,  after  which  we 
found  our  way  back  to  the  steamer,  which  soon  began 
to  plow  her  way  out  into  the  ocean. 

We  called  at  Bahia  two  days  later,  arriving  about  ten 
o'clock  at  night.  We  sailed  early  on  the  moniing  of  the 
folloviing  day.     None  of  the  passengers  went  on  shore. 

The  voyage  from  Bahia  to  Trinidad  was  said  to  be 
likely  to  consume  from  eight  to  nine  days.  We  there- 
fore settled  down  to  the  routine  of  an  easy  life  on  board, 
the  program  of  which  was  made  up  of  eating,  sleeping, 
bathing  in  the  big  canvas  tank,  conversation,  reading, 
games  on  the  deck  during  the  daytime,  whist,  music, 
and  dancing  at  night.  We  kept  nearer  the  coast,  as  we 
came  up,  than  we  had  as  we  went  down  on  the  outward 


3i8 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


voyage.  From  the  time  we  left  Rio  de  Janeiro  until 
we  had  passed  Pemambuco  the  land  was  always  in 
sight.  Sometimes  we  were  quite  close  to  it,  and  with 
the  aid  of  our  glasses  could  observe  what  was  taking 
place  on  shore.  The  mountain  scenery  for  some  dis- 
tance north  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  was  very  attractive. 
Farther  north  the  mountains  were  replaced  by  low 
hills.  The  whole  coast  is  skirted  by  coral-reefs,  over 
which  the  white  surf  tumbled.  Back  of  the  still  water 
behind  the  reefs  were  broad,  sandy  beaches.  Along  the 
shore  are  endless  groves  of  coco-palms.  Under  the  sha- 
dow of  these  we  could  see  the  thatched  huts  of  the  fish- 
ermen, sometimes  closely  clustered  together  and  forming 
extensive  villages.  Now  and  then  a  lighthouse  appeared, 
but  the  lighthouses  on  this  coast  are  not  numerous, 
and  but  very  few  of  them  are  pow^erfully  equipped. 
Fishermen  were  constantly  seen  in  the  daytime  ply- 
ing their  calling  upon  the  water.  We  passed  a  number 
of  them  below  Pemambuco  far  out  from  the  shore,  and 
near  enough  to  hail  them  from  the  deck.  The  craft 
they  use  are  exceedingly  primitive.  They  are  known 
by  the  native  name  of  "xangadas."  In  reality  they  are 
simply  rafts,  not  more  than  from  twelve  to  fourteen  feet 
long  and  from  five  to  six  feet  \vdde,  made  of  bamboos 
and  other  light  woods,  the  pieces  lashed  and  clamped 
together.  They  carry  a  shoulder-of-mutton  sail  raised 
on  a  jury-mast,  w'hich  is  usually  a  stout  bamboo  pole, 
sunk  in  a  socket,  out  of  which  it  can  be  jerked  in  an 
instant,  if  necessary.  Both  fore  and  aft  there  is  a  rude 
seat,  or  bench,  made  of  bamboo,  with  rowlocks  at  the 
ends.  The  vessels  carry  a  couple  of  sweeps,  which  may 
be  used  as  oars  or  rudders.  Just  aft  of  the  mast, 
lashed  in  place,  is  always  a  barrel,  which  serves  as  hold 
for  cargo,  and  into  which  the  fish  are  put  as  they  are 


Triiii(la<l  319 

taken.  The  rafts  have  no  niil  and  seemed  always  to  be 
awash,  and  the  waves,  as  they  were  erossed,  sent  their 
spray  over  the  sail  and  over  the  men,  of  whom  eaeh 
craft  carried  two.  The  .xangadas  are  practically  un- 
sinkablc,  and  their  occupants,  who  seemed  to  be  jolly, 
round-faced  negroes,  appeared  not  to  fear  the  dangers 
of  the  deep,  but  to  be  having  a  nice  cool  time  out  on  the 
water.  The  sea,  however,  was  only  moderately  stirred 
by  the  \\*inds  as  we  came  up  the  coast.  There  must  be 
times  when  no  one  would  dare  to  venture  forth  upon  it 
in  such  flimsy  constructions  as  these  rafts.  That  the 
ocean  is  able  to  take,  and  does  take,  toll  of  the  shipping 
in  these  waters,  was  testified  by  the  sight  here  and  there 
upon  the  reefs  of  the  wrecks  of  sailing  vessels  and  of 
steamers,  from  the  rotting  and  rusting  remains  of  which 
the  green  sea-weeds  flaunted  their  growths. 

We  did  not  call  at  Pemambuco,  but  our  steamer 
passed  close  enough  to  the  shore  to  enable  us  to  get  a 
very  good  view  of  the  water-front  of  the  city.  The 
roadstead  is  quite  open  to  the  sea,  and  only  recently  has 
the  construction  of  breakwaters  and  docks  been  begun. 
There  appear  to  be  many  large  warehouses  in  the 
place,  and  some  manufacturing  plants,  from  the  tall 
chimneys  of  which  clouds  of  black  smoke  were  streaming 
away  before  the  srjuth-wind.  A  large  steamer  i)ut  out 
of  the  harbor  just  ahead  of  us  and  stood  away  to  the 
northeast,  evidently  bound  toward  Eurojxj.  There  is 
a  very  extensive  trade  carried  on  at  Pemambuco,  the 
principal  exports  being  sugar,  molasses,  and  cotton,  in 
the  order  named. 

After  rounding  Cajx."  St.  Roque  we  stood  away  to  the 
northwest,  heading  directly  for  Trinidad.  From  this 
time  forth  we  were  out  of  sight  of  land  until  shortly 
before  we  dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Port  of  Spain. 


320  To  the  River  Plate  and  Baek 

Our  course  lay  so  far  out  at  sea  tliat  we  did  not  detect 
the  fact  that  we  were  crossing  the  mouth  of  the  Amazon , 
which  like  the  Rio  de  la  Plata  discharges  a  vast  mass  of 
muddy  fresh  water  into  the  ocean.  For  the  same  rea- 
son we  detected  little  of  the  influence  of  the  Orinoco 
upon  the  sea,  into  which  it  pours  its  waves,  except  a 
certain  dulling  of  the  tone  of  the  blues.  Each  day  was 
like  the  other,  but  the  temperature  on  board  was  never 
distressingly  hot.  The  mercury  during  the  entire 
voyage  never  rose  much  above  80°  Fahrenheit  in  the 
hottest  part  of  the  day,  and  at  night  generally  fell  to 
about  75°,  or  even  lower.  The  rapid  movement  of  the 
steamer  created  a  breeze  on  deck,  so  that  it  was  always 
possible  to  find  places  in  which  to  sit  and  read  and  chat 
in  comfort.  The  cabins  were  unusually  well  ventilated. 
The  one  I  occupied  had  two  large  windows,  which  I  kept 
open  all  night.  Sleep  under  these  conditions  was 
possible. 

We  were  off  the  coast  of  French  Guiana  on  November 
5th,  the  day  upon  which,  had  we  been  at  home,  we 
would  have  taken  part  in  electing  a  President  of  the 
United  States.  A  ballot-box  was  improvised  from  a 
cracker-box,  inspectors  and  judges  of  election  were 
appointed,  and  all  citizens  of  the  United  States,  including 
the  ladies,  were  requested  to  repair  to  the  palm-garden 
on  the  after-deck  at  the  time  of  the  afternoon  tea,  and 
there  cast  their  ballots.  The  result  of  the  balloting 
showed  that  the  respective  candidates  had  received 
the  following  votes: 

Woodrow  Wilson  .  .  .24 

Theodore  Roosevelt  .  .  .18 

William  H.  Taft  .  .  .12 

Total   .  .  .  .54 


Trinidad  321 

On  the  morning  of  the  following  day  the  Captain  kindly 
undertook  to  get  into  wireless  communication  with 
Georgetown,  the  capital  of  British  Guiana,  and  we 
learned  that  the  people  of  the  United  States  of  North 
America  had  settled  matters  very  much  in  the  same 
way  we  had,  revealing  the  fact  that  the  company  on 
board  who  claimed  American  citizenship  quite  fairly 
represented  the  general  sentiment  of  the  nation. 

On  November  1 0th  it  was  announced  that,  if  all 
went  well,  we  would  early  on  the  morrow  reach  Port  of 
Spain.  About  ten  o'clock  at  night  I  noticed  great 
banks  of  clouds  to  the  south  and  west  in  which  lightning 
was  playing.  ^Miile  I  was  watching  these  one  of  the 
officers  came  to  the  rail  and  stood  and  chatted  with  me 
for  a  while.  He  told  me  that  about  midnight  we  ought 
to  "pick  up"  the  light  at  the  eastern  end  of  the  island 
of  Trinidad.  I  resolved  not  to  turn  in  until  I  had  seen 
it.  After  a  while  the  thunderstorm  in  the  west  died 
down  and  the  lightning  ceased  to  flash.  The  sky  was 
very  dark  and  overhung  with  low  clouds.  A  little 
before  twelve  on  the  under  surface  of  the  clouds  I  saw  a 
faint  glow,  which  instantly  vanished.  I  felt  that  it 
could  not  have  been  caused  by  a  flash  of  lightning, 
because  it  was  too  faint  and  not  widely  enough  diffused. 
I  fi.xed  my  eyes  upon  the  spot  and  saw  that  the  faint 
glow  was  repeated.  "That  is  no  doubt  the  reflection  of 
the  flash-light  of  the  beacon  on  the  lower  surface  of  the 
clouds,'"  I  said  to  myself.  I  was  so  sleepy  by  this  time 
that  I  resolved  to  accept  the  reflection  for  tjie  substance, 
and  gave  up  my  vigil  and  went  below.  Next  morning 
the  Captain  told  me  at  breakfast  that  for  a  long  time 
before  the  light  itself  became  visible,  they  had  seen  its 
reflection  in  the  sky  above  the  spot  where  it  finally 
came  into  view. 


322  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

At  sunrise  on  the  morning  of  the  1 1  th  of  November 
we  were  steaming  into  the  harbor  of  Port  of  Spain, 
The  scenery,  the  cloud-effects,  the  wealth  of  color  in 
sky,  on  land,  on  water,  produced  a  charming  impression. 
The  luxuriance  and  density  of  the  vegetation  attracted 
attention  even  from  the  deck  of  the  steamer.  Sir 
Frederick  Treves,  in  his  charming  book,  The  Cradle  oj 
the  Deep,  says  of  the  island : 

Seen  across  the  gulf,  Trinidad  is  an  island  of  a  thousand 
hills,  of  incessant  peaks  and  ridges,  and  of  a  maze  of  winding 
valleys.  From  the  sea-margin  to  the  sky-line  it  is  one  blaze 
of  green,  the  green  not  of  grass,  but  of  trees.  .  .  .  Here  is  a 
very  revel  of  green,  clamoring  and  unrestrained,  a  "bravery" 
of  green,  as  the  ancients  would  call  it,  a  green  that  deepens 
into  blue  and  purple,  or  that  brightens  into  tints  of  old  gold 
and  primrose  yellow.  Here  are  the  dull  green  of  wet  moss, 
the  clear  green  of  the  parrot's  wing,  the  green  tints  of  old 
copper,  of  malachite,  of  the  wild  apple,  the  bronze  green  of 
the  beetle's  back,  the  dead  green  of  the  autumn  Nile. 

Trinidad  was  discovered  by  Christopher  Columbus  on 
his  third  voyage  on  July  31,  1498.  He  and  his  com- 
panions had  endured  great  discouragements  and  hard- 
ships. The  winds  had  either  been  contrary,  or  had 
failed  them.  For  a  long  time  they  had  been  becalmed, 
drifting,  always  drifting,  in  that  mighty  equatorial 
current  which,  sweeping  up  along  the  northern  coast  of 
South  America,  whirls  around  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
and  then  pours  out  around  the  southern  tip  of  Florida, 
and  spreads  itself  over  the  North  Atlantic  to  give 
warmth  to  the  people  of  Europe,  and  make  their  lands 
habitable.  Christopher  Columbus  knew  nothing  of  all 
this,  however.  He  really  did  not  know  where  he  was. 
Drifting,  hoping,  despairing,  at  last  the  cry  came  from 


Trinidad  t,2t, 

the  lookout  aloft   that   land   was  in  sight.     Straining 
their  eyes  westward  they  saw  three  peaks  rising  from 
the  sea.     They  deemed  the  vision  an  answer  to  prayer, 
for  the  ex}X'dition  had  been  undertaken  in  the  name  of 
The    Holy    Trinity,   and   here   were    three   mountains 
joined  in  one  at  their  roots  rising  out  of  the  oeean  before 
them.     They  called  the  land  "The  Island  of  the  Holy 
Trinity,"  which  is  perpetuated  in  the  name  it  bears 
to-day.     The    mountains    upon    which    the    eyes    of 
Columbus  and  his  comrades  rested  are  known  to-day 
as  "The  Three  Sisters."     They  are  landmarks  for  the 
seaman  who  enters  the  Gulf  of  Paria  from  the  south,  by 
way  of  the  Serj^nt's  Mouth,  the  narrow  strait  which 
separates    Trinidad    from    the    Venezuelan    mainland. 
Columbus  had  become  so  accustomed  to  finding  islands, 
that  it  did  not  enter  into  his  head  that  the  land  he  saw 
to  the  south  was  continental  in  its  vastness.     He  called 
it   Isla  Sancta,  the  Holy  Island.     That  was  the  first 
name  given  to  America.     Columbus  and  his  shijDmates 
had  the  misfortune  to  be  caught  in  the  bore,  or  tidal 
wave,  which  to  this  day  nishes  thnnigh  the  Senx-nt's 
Mouth,  and  one  of  the  ships  lost  an  anchor  in  con- 
sequence.    About  fifty  years  ago  an  old  Spanish  anchor 
was  fished  up  by  a  dredger  near  the  spot  where  this 
mishap  is  said  to  have  occurred,  and  to-day  it  is  treas- 
ured at  the  Victoria  Institute  in  Port  of  Sj)ain,  and  is 
shown  to  visitors  as  the  anchor  of  the  immortal  explorer. 
Perhaps  it  is, — Quien  sabe?    Columbus  did  not  find  gold. 
The  natives  were  not  friendly.     The  ex])lorer  was  sick 
in  body  and  sick  at  heart.     The  beauty  of  the  regit^n 
fascinated    him,    nevertheless.     He   likened    it    in    his 
thoughts  to  the  Garden  of  Eden,  and  reixirted  to  Queen 
Isabella   that   at   last   he   had   found    Paradise.     Like 
Paradise  the  island  looke<l  on  the  morning  of  the  llth 


324  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

of  November,  as  the  sun  came  up,  and  I  stood  and 
watched  the  glory  of  his  rising  beams  flooding  the 
mountains,  the  hillsides,  and  the  valley. 

Columbus  never  knew  that  his  eyes  had  rested  upon 
"a  new  world."  The  names  he  gave  to  many  of  the 
places  he  found  did  not  stick.  The  Holy  Island  a  few 
years  later  was  discovered  to  be  a  continent,  and  to  it 
was  given  the  name  of  an  Italian,  Amerigo  \^espucci, 
who  sailed  with  Alonso  de  Ojeda,  an  old  comrade  of 
Columbus,  to  tr}'  to  get  some  of  the  pearls  which  the 
great  discoverer  in  his  dispatches  had  said  were  to  be 
obtained  at  Paria.  The  story  of  Columbus  is  in  many 
respects  a  tragedy.  He  sowed  and  other  men  reaped. 
But  that  after  all  is  true  of  most  successful  men.  The 
path-finders  and  leaders  rarely  profit  from  their  dis- 
coveries and  exploits.  It  is  generally  left  to  second-rate 
men  who  come  after  them  to  make  the  profits. 

While  I  was  hurriedly  eating  my  breakfast  prepara- 
tory to  going  ashore,  my  table-steward  handed  me  a 
cablegram  announcing  that  the  home  of  my  younger 
son  had  been  gladdened  by  the  advent  of  a  little 
daughter.  My  companions  at  table  tendered  me  their 
congratulations.  Like  nerves  the  wires  bind  the  lands 
together.  The  whole  globe  is  fast  becoming  a  great 
sensitive  organism.  Our  loved  ones  speak  to  us  out  of 
the  deeps  and  across  oceans.  Nothing  is  hidden. 
Individuals  and  nations  commune  with  each  other 
daily,  regardless  of  the  barriers  erected  by  seas  and 
mountains.  I  have  in  my  custody  a  letter  written  in 
October,  1799,  by  Alexander  von  Humboldt  from  a  spot 
not  far  from  Port  of  Spain  to  a  friend  of  his,  who  lived 
and  died  in  Pittsburgh.  The  postage  on  that  letter 
cost  nearly  thirty  shillings  sterling  (S7.50),  far  more 
than  the  cablegram  which  was  handed  to  me  at  break- 


Trinidad  325 

fast,  and  the  friend  of  Humboldt  did  not  receive  it  until 
more  than  eight  months  had  elapsed  after  it  had  been 
written.  It  first  was  carried  by  a  saiHng  ship  to  Eurojje, 
thence  taken  to  Boston  in  another  saihng  shijj,  then  by 
mail-coach  to  New  York,  and  then  by  mail-coach  across 
the  Alleghenies  until  it  finally  reached  the  i)erson  for 
whom  it  was  intended.  WTiat  miracles  have  been 
achieved  by  human  ingenuity  since  Columbus  first 
anchored  where  we  are  lying,  and  more  particularly 
since  Alexander  von  Humboldt  came  to  visit  the 
regions  about  the  Gulf  of  Paria !  By  the  way,  Humboldt 
on  his  mother's  side  was  descended  from  a  famils- 
bearing  the  name  of  Colomb.  Some  of  his  biograi)lHrs 
claim  that  he  was  of  the  same  race  as  the  great  Cristo- 
fero.  However  that  may  be,  in  a  certain  sense  he  was 
the  re-discoverer  of  South  America.  He  was  the  first 
really  scientific  obserx'er  to  resort  to  these  lands.  His 
writings  quickened  interest  in  them,  not  from  a  |X)litical 
and  mercenary  point  of  view,  but  from  the  standjx)int 
of  the  student  of  natural  phenomena.  All  works  deal- 
ing with  the  natunil  sciences  relating  to  South  America 
and  published  before  the  day  of  Humboldt  are  full  of 
errors  and  crudities.  He  was  followed  by  a  host  of 
successors,  whose  training  was  largely  received  by 
communion  with  nature  on  the  virgin  soil  of  this  noble 
continent.  The  list  is  portentous,  and  includes  the 
names  of  some  of  the  greatest  scientific  men  of  the  past 
eleven  decades,  such  as  Bonpland,  D'Orbigny,  Darwin, 
Spix,  Louis  Agassiz,  Bates,  and  Burmeister.  One  of 
the  greatest  of  them  all,  Alfred  Russel  Wallace,  still 
survives  at  a  green  old  age,  the  representative  of  a 
generation  which  has  almost  entirely  passt'd  from  the 
stage. 

We  went  ashore  in  the  Company's  launch.     As  we 


326         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

approached  the  landing-stage  our  attention  was  called 
to  the  fact  that  several  vessels  had  sunk  near  the  shore, 
only  their  masts  being  visible  above  the  water.  Men 
in  small  boats  were  working  about  them.  Inquiry 
elicited  the  fact  that  the  day  before  the  place  had  been 
visited  by  a  hurricane,  and  that  half  a  dozen  small  craft 
had  been  swamped  along  the  landing,  and  some  houses 
unroofed.  Those  who  spoke  of  the  matter  did  so  in 
a  way  which  seemed  to  imply  that  it  was  quite  an 
ordinary  occurrence. 

The  architecture  of  Port  of  Spain  is  conformed  to  the 
requirements  of  life  in  a  perpetual  summer.  Every- 
thing is  open  to  the  air,  and  devices  to  shelter  from  the 
heat  of  the  sun  in  the  form  of  broad  verandas  and 
awnings  built  over  doors  and  windows  are  common 
features  in  residences  of  the  better  class.  The  streets 
and  roads  are  well -paved  and  clean.  The  open  spaces 
in  the  parks  look  smooth  and  green  like  English  lawns. 
The  sides  of  the  roads  are  adorned  by  trees,  many  of 
them  of  huge  size,  upon  the  branches  of  which  grow 
great  colonies  of  epiphytic  plants,  bromelias  and 
orchids  of  various  genera.  We  first  drove  out  to  the 
waterworks.  The  water  from  a  number  of  clear 
mountain-streams  is  collected  in  large  reservoirs  and  is 
then  conveyed  by  pipes  into  the  city.  On  reaching  our 
destination  we  alighted  from  our  conveyance  and  went 
in  and  examined  the  place.  An  attendant  came  for- 
ward and  dipped  up  some  of  the  sparkling  water  for  us 
to  drink.  It  seemed  to  be  ver>'  pure,  but  it  would  have 
been  somewhat  more  palatable  had  it  been  cooler. 

The  reservoir  is  located  in  a  deep  valley,  about  which 
under  the  shade  of  great  trees  cacao-bushes  were  grow- 
ing. "V\Tiile  we  were  inspecting  the  reserv^oirs  the 
chauffeur  had  pulled  one  of  the  ripe  cacao-pods,  and 


Trinidad  327 

handed  it  to  me  as  we  came  t)ut.  It  was  about  ten 
inches  long.  The  cacao  {Tlwobroma  cacao)  is  the  plant 
from  the  seeds  of  which  chocolate  is  produced.  The 
pod  is  long,  cylindrical,  tapering  at  either  end,  and  fluted. 
When  T\\yc  it  is  greenish  yellow  in  color  strijx.^d  with  dull 
pink.  The  bush  or  small  tree,  from  the  branches  of 
which  the  pods  hang  singly  here  and  there,  loves  the 
shade  of  deep  forests,  growing  in  rich  moist  soil.  In  its 
form  it  somewhat  recalls  the  pa  paw  {Asimina  triloba) 
of  the  Indiana  and  Kentucky  woodlands,  which  also 
loves  the  shade.  Cocoa  is  one  of 
the  staple  exports  of  Trinidad.  On 
our  rides  both  to  and  from  the  reser- 
voirs we  noticed  that  ferns,  and 
especially  tree-ferns,  were  not  un- 
common. Various  aroids,  belonging 
to  the  genera  Philodendron,  Atithii- 
riuni,  and  their  allies,  were  conspicu- 
ous. Liverworts  of  several  genera 
and  species  were  seen  by  me  as  I 
wandered  about  in  the  shady  woods  f^J^  ^"".Cr^^^hl 
in  quest  of  moths,  of  which  I  caught 
a  few.  In  the  open  spaces  by  the  wayside  butterflies 
were  quite  numerous.  I  succeeded  in  capturing  a  num- 
Ix^r  of  Hesperids  and  Lycaenids.  Didonis  biblis  with 
its  black  wings  margintni  with  vemiilion  was  very 
common  among  the  bushes  and  in  half -shaded  places, 
while  Anartia  jatrophtc  and  Anartia  amalthca  literally 
swarmed  in  the  low  grasses  and  weeds  by  the  wayside. 
Two  species  of  Catopsilia  were  congregated  in  damp 
spots  on  the  road,  just  as  the  common  Clover-butterfly 
{Colias)  gathers  in  similar  places  in  the  summer-time  at 
home. 

The  view  of  the  rich  tropical  vegetation  of  the  island 


328  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

v/hich  we  had  obtained  in  the  course  of  our  short  ride 
led  us  to  desire  to  visit  the  Botanical  Garden,  said  to  be 
the  finest  in  the  West  Indies.  It  has  been  long  in  exist- 
ence, and  some  parts  of  it  are  in  reality  the  native 
forest,  in  which  no  attempt  has  been  made  to  put  a 
curbing  hand  upon  the  forces  of  nature.  An  attendant 
in  uniform,  with  ebony  face,  seeing  me  engaged  in 
collecting  butterflies  soon  after  I  had  entered  the  gate, 
approached  me  and  with  a  smile  upon  his  face  said: 
"  I  shall  have  to  fine  you  for  collecting  insects  on  these 
grounds."  I  looked  him  in  the  face  and  said:  "Fine  a 
Fellow  of  the  Entomological  Society  of  London  for 
collecting  butterflies  on  English  territory?  Indeed!" 
I  then  handed  him  a  shilling,  and  said:  "Now  come  and 
show  me  where  I  am  likely  to  find  the  best  specimens." 
He  accepted  the  shilling  with  a  grin,  and  thereafter 
accompanied  us  and  was  our  willing  guide.  The  first 
place  to  which  he  conducted  us  was  to  the  top  of  a  small 
eminence  from  which  we  had  an  extensive  view  over 
parts  of  the  town  and  the  wide  gulf  beyond.  That 
little  climb  became  memorable,  not  because  of  the 
exertion  it  involved,  but  because  of  the  oppressive  heat. 
The  distance  was  not  great,  but  the  hot,  humid  at- 
mosphere made  it  exhausting.  After  staying  a  while 
upon  the  hill-top  seated  under  a  rude  arbor  and  en- 
deavoring to  recover  a  normal  temperature,  incidentally 
to  collect  some  interesting  specimens  of  various  orders 
of  insects,  we  slowly  descended  by  a  circuitous  path 
under  the  shadow  of  the  overhanging  foliage.  There 
are  many  noble  tropical  trees,  both  native  and  exotic, 
in  the  garden.  We  were  particularly  interested  in 
observing  the  numerous  varieties  of  palms,  and  the 
profusion  of  orchids  and  bromeliads  clustered  as  para- 
sites upon  the  branches.     Several  species  of  bamboos 


Trinichiil  329 

formed  great  clumps,  the  feathcr>'  masses  of  which 
contrasted  beautifully  with  the  darker  and  more  solid 
foliage  of  the  great  rounded  tree-tops  which  formed  the 
background.  One  of  these  growths  of  bamboo  was 
being  cut  down  and  a  man  was  sa\\*ing  up  the  joints 
"to  make  flower-i)ots,"  as  he  informed  us.  The  joints 
were  five  or  six  inches  in  diameter,  and  no  doubt  may 
well  serve  as  receptacles  for  growing  plants.  Our 
faithful  guide  obtained  a  couple  of  the  things  for  the 
use  of  the  ladies,  who  fancied  them,  and  I  took  one  as  a 
receptacle  for  paint-brushes,  for  which  it  is  admirably 
adapted. 

We  could  have  lingered  much  longer  in  the  Botanical 
Garden,  but  there  were  other  places  to  be  seen,  and  we 
therefore  beat  a  retreat  to  our  automobile,  and  went  into 
the  town  itself.  The  city  has  \\'itnessed  many  vicissi- 
tudes since  its  first  settlement  by  the  Spaniards  in  1532. 
For  nearly  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  the  banner  of 
Spain  floated  over  the  island ;  then  there  was  an  attempt 
by  the  French  to  possess  it,  and  finally  the  English  took 
it,  and  English  it  has  remained  since  1797.  The  older 
parts  have  been  remodeled  and  rebuilt  since  the  days 
of  the  early  settlement.  The  streets  are  laid  out  at 
right  angles,  which  was  not  originally  the  case.  The 
business  jxjrtion  has  a  rather  seedy  and  forlorn  look. 
The  residential  parts  occupied  by  the  wealthier  classes 
are  attractive,  even  beautiful.  Some  of  the  houses  are 
well  built,  and  the  gardens  ^nth  their  wealth  of  flower- 
ing shrubber>'  and  fine  trees  are  charming.  After 
havnng  seen  the  main  thoroughfares,  and  visited  the 
principal  points  of  interest,  we  decided  that  it  was  time 
for  luncheon.  We  went  to  the  Queen's  Hotel,  and  fared 
very  well.  The  fish  which  was  ser\'ed,  and  which  we 
were  told  had  come  fresh  from  tlv  ^'^-^  '^vt  f-fi'^ming. 


330         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

was  excellent.  Trinidad  has  in  recent  years  come  to 
be  a  resort  for  English  gentlemen  who  are  lovers  of 
piscatorial  sport.  A  very  readable  book  has  been 
written  by  a  member  of  the  fraternity,  who  describes 
the  adventures  he  had  in  successive  seasons  while 
fishing  in  the  Bocas  for  tarpon  and  other  denizens  of 
these  seas.  The  devil-fish,  that  colossal  batlike  mon- 
ster, which  haunts  the  reefs,  and  sometimes  towards 
dusk  rises  with  a  great  flying  leap  from  the  surface  of  the 
water,  is  graphically  described  by  the  writer  of  the 
volume. 

After  luncheon  we  visited  the  market-place  and  a 
number  of  the  shops.  Port  of  Spain  is  a  very  cosmo- 
politan town,  as  much  so  as  any  in  the  West  Indies.  We 
found  that  many  languages  are  spoken  by  the  people, 
though  English  is  universally  understood.  There  are 
many  there  who  still  employ  Spanish,  the  lingua  franca 
of  South  America;  others  speak  French.  The  negroes 
speak  the  English  of  the  West  Indies  with  its  peculiar 
drawling  accent.  There  is  a  lingering  suggestion  of  the 
old  days  of  slavery  in  the  constant  use  of  the  terms 
"Master"  and  "My  Lady,"  employed  by  the  blacks  in 
addressing  the  whites.  Multitudes  of  East  Indians, 
young  and  old,  were  encountered.  These  people  retain 
the  garb  and  the  customs  of  the  Orient,  from  which  they 
have  come.  One  section  of  Port  of  Spain  is  known  as 
"Coolie- town."  We  encountered  "Bombay-wallas" 
and  "Calcutta-wallas"  everywhere. 

But  it  was  time  to  be  making  our  way  to  the  landing- 
stage.  We  had  barely  arrived  there,  when  it  began  to 
rain  as  it  only  rains  in  the  tropics.  We  huddled 
together  under  the  narrow  roof  of  the  shelter  which  is 
provided  at  the  landing-stage.  Fortunately  the  Cap- 
tain was  one  of  the  waiting  company,  and  we  felt  at  ease. 


Trinidad  331 

Ships  do  not  siiil  without  their  captains.  The  wind 
came  up  and  our  departure  was  dehiyed  until  the  squall 
had  died  down.  Wo  reached  out  floating  home  about 
three  o'clock.  As  we  came  out  over  the  bay  it  was 
interesting  to  see  jx^rched  on  the  tops  of  the  buoys  in  the 
harbor  a  number  of  brown  jxilicans.  Man-o-war  birds 
were  also  numerous,  hawking  about  the  stem  of  the 
ship. 

The  glimpse  we  had  of  this  southernmost  of  the  West 
Indian  islands  provoked  in  our  minds  a  desire  to  visit 
it  again  and  make  a  longer  stay.  It  is  well  worthy  of  a 
protracted  sojourn.  The  roads  through  the  island  are 
said  to  be  good,  and  there  are  many  places  which  are 
full  of  interest  to  the  student  of  nature  as  well  as  to  the 
lover  of  the  beautiful  and  curious.  We  would  have 
liked  to  have  visited  the  famous  Asphalt  Lake .  we  would 
have  enjoyed  exploring  the  Cave,  which  is  haunted  by 
the  Guacharo,  the  Steotortiis  stcatornis  of  ornithologists. 
This  \cxy  remarkable  bird  was  first  described  by 
Humboldt.  It  was  first  found  by  him  near  Cumana 
and  referred  by  him  to  the  Goatsucker  Family,  sub- 
sequently the  bird  was  found  to  frequent  caverns  in 
other  parts  of  the  country,  esj)ccially  Trinidad,  where 
the  people  called  it  the  "  Diablotin."  Students  since  then 
have  very  carefully  studied  its  anatomy,  and  it  has 
been  separated  from  the  Goatsucker  Family,  or  Capri- 
nnili^ida',  and  placed  in  a  sej)arate  family,  the  Stcalor- 
uithida.  The  bird,  while  it  jx)ssesses  many  of  the 
characteristics  of  the  Nightjar  and  \\'hippoonvill. 
shows  also  certain  strong  affinities  to  the  Owls,  and  is 
regarded  as  jx^rhaps  giving  evidence  jxjinting  to  the 
fact  that  the  Goatsuckers  and  the  Owls  may  have 
spnmg  from  a  common  ancestr\'.  the  characteristics  of 
which  in  part  sur\*ive  in  this  curious  bird.      It  is  alxMit 


332 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


as  large  as  a  crow.  It  is  noctural,  slumbering  all  day 
in  dark  caves,  whence  it  issues  at  dusk,  going  forth  in 
search  of  its  food  which  consists  of  the  oily  fruits  of 
various  tropical  trees.  In  quest  of  this  food  it  travels 
enormous  distances,  being  very  swift  of  wing;  and  one 
writer,  who  studied  its  habits,  states  that  he  found  in 
the  stomach  of  a  specimen  which  he  obtained  at  Caripe  a 


Fig.  31     Guacharo  (Steatornis  steatornis)  \  nat.  size. 


nut  of  a  tree  which  he  was  quite  sure  does  not  grow 
nearer  the  cavern  than  eighty  leagues,  or  two  hundred 
and  forty  miles  away.  The  indigestible  seeds  are 
voided  upon  the  floor  of  the  caves  in  which  these  birds 
congregate,  and  here  they  sprout  up,  and  being  de- 
prived of  light,  cover  the  floor  of  the  cave  with  a  curious 
mass  of  bleached  vegetation  like  the  shoots  of  potatoes 
which  have  sprouted  in  a  cellar.  The  young  birds  soon 
after  they  are  hatched  become  a  mass  of  animate  fat ; 
at  this  time  the  Indians  resort  to  the  caves  and  slaughter 
the  young  by  the  thousands,  melt  the  fat  in  pots  at  the 
mouth  of  the  cavern,  and  preserve  it  for  use  both  in 
cooking  and  m  lighting  lamps.     This  fat  is  said  not  to 


Trinidad  333 

turn  rancid,  and  is  capable  of  being  kept  for  a  year  nr 
more  in  limpid  purity.  Some  i)eople  say  that  the 
squabs  are  delicate  eating.  It  is,  however,  reported 
by  others  that  they  have  the  taste  of  cockroaches.  It 
is  singular  that  the  odor  of  cockroaches  is  found  in  many 
birds.  I  have  noted  it  especially  in  the  case  of  Petrels. 
A  Petrel  flew  on  board  the  S.S.  Carpathia,  on  which  I 
was  crossing  from  the  Mediterranean,  not  very  long 
before  her  memorable  rescue  of  the  -Shipwrecked  passen- 
gers of  the  Titanic.  The  bird  was  brought  to  me.  I 
afterwards  released  it,  and  it  flew  away ;  but  for  a  couple 
of  hours  afterwards,  though  I  washed  my  hands  a 
number  of  times,  I  could  not  get  rid  of  a  mild  odor  of 
cockroaches  which  seemed  to  cling  to  my  fingers  after 
handling  the  bird. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE  LESSER   ANTILLES 

"Where  first  his  drooping  sails  Columbus  furl'd 
And  sweetly  rested  in  another  world, 
Amidst  the  heaven-reflecting  ocean,  smiles 
A  constellation  of  elysian  isles, 
Fair  as  Orion  when  he  mounts  on  high, 
Sparkling  with  midnight  splendor  from  the  sky; 
They  bask  beneath  the  sun's  meridian  rays, 
Where  not  a  shadow  breaks  the  boundless  blaze; 
The  breath  of  ocean  wanders  through  their  vales, 
In  morning  breezes  and  in  evening  gales; 
Earth  from  her  lap  perennial  verdure  pours, 
Ambrosial  fruits  and  amaranthine  flowers; 
O'er  the  wild  mountains  and  luxuriant  plains, 
Nature  in  all  the  pomp  of  beauty  reigns." — Montgomery. 

WE  left  Port  of  Spain  about  four  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon.  The  thunderstonn  which  had  passed 
over  the  town  still  clung  in  the  distance  about 
the  tops  of  the  mountains.  We  passed  out  to  sea 
through  the  Dragon's  Mouths  (Las  Bocas  de  Dragos), 
the  triple  strait,  seeded  with  jutting  islands  and  tower- 
ing rocks,  which  connects  the  Gulf  of  Paria  on  the  north 
with  the  waters  of  the  Caribbean.  The  scenery  com- 
pelled the  admiration  of  the  most  indifferent.  In  the 
blue  distance  rose  the  high  peaks  of  Paria,  one  of  them 
thirty -five  hundred  feet  in  height,  lofty  sentinels  on  the 
Venezuelan  mainland,  which  here  juts  out  eastward  as  a 
narrow  peninsula,  forming  the  northern  boundary  of 

334 


3       X. 

•a    >, 

•a    — 


<1>     ^ 
0->      P 


o     rs 


The  Lesser  Antilles  335 

the  gulf.  At  the  prow  of  the  ship  we  could  see  how  the 
water  is  racked  as  it  pours  between  the  islands.  Its 
surface  was  free  from  waves,  but  broken  by  tide-rips. 
Many  porpoises  raced  with  the  ship  as  she  stood  out  to 
sea.  I  strained  my  eyes  to  see  whether  by  some  lucky 
chance  I  might  not  catch  a  glimpse  of  one  of  the  huge 
devil-fishes  which  arc  said  now  and  then  toward  evening 
to  leap  up  from  the  water,  but  none  of  these  darlings  of 
the  deep  obliged  me  by  letting  me  have  a  peep  at  him. 

A  number  of  additions  had  been  made  to  our  ship's 
company  at  Port  of  Spain.  Some  of  these  were  to , 
remain  uith  us  to  the  end  of  the  voyage,  others  were 
only  to  bear  us  company  as  far  as  Barbados,  where 
they  would  reembark  on  vessels  going  to  Europe,  or  to 
other  parts  of  the  West  Indies  and  South  America. 
Among  the  latter  was  an  English  gentleman,  who 
informed  me  thai  he  had  come  out  to  the  WVst  Indies 
"to  escape  the  beastly  winter-climate  of  London," 
and  that,  after  haxnng  visited  in  succession  all  of  the 
Ix?sser  Antilles,  it  was  his  purpose  to  go  to  Para  and 
ascend  the  Amazon  as  far  as  ix)ssible.  He  was  arrayed 
in  an  immaculate  suit  of  white  duck,  a  solar  topee,  and  a 
formidable  monocle,  so  that  it  was  evident  he  was  fully 
ecjuipix.'d  for  life  in  the  tropics. 

With  a  good  motor-boat  it  would  be  possible  to  go 
from  Trinidad  to  Florida  by  way  of  the  Antilles,  sleep 
on  shore  even.'  night,  and  never  be  out  of  sight  of  land 
for  more  than  an  hour  or  two  at  any  time.  The  Lesser 
Antilles,  or  Caribbees,  form  a  semicircle  which  extends 
from  near  the  coast  of  Trinidad  eastward  and  northward 
nearly  as  far  as  Puerto  Rico.  The  Greater  Antilles 
continue  the  chain  of  islands,  stretching  westward  in  the 
direction  of  Honduras.  The  Caribbean  Sea  is  thus 
partially  enclosed  on  the  east  and  the  north  by  a  long 


336         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

succession  of  islands,  large  and  small,  lying  like  a  great 
wreath  upon  the  blue  expanse  of  ocean.  The  Caribbees 
are  disposed  in  two  more  or  less  parallel  lines,  the  outer 
islands  on  the  Atlantic  side  being  generally  low,  or  with 
but  slight  elevations  upon  them;  the  inner  series  is 
composed  of  islands  which  are  mostly  volcanic  in  their 
origin  and  adorned  with  peaks  and  high  rugged  cliffs. 
With  but  one  or  two  exceptions,  all  are  covered  with 
luxuriant  vegetation  from  sea-level  to  the  tops  of  the 
mountains.  Alongside  of  them  are  some  mighty  deeps  in 
the  floor  of  the  ocean.  If  the  water  w^ere  to  be  drained 
away  from  about  them  they  would  stand  up  from  the 
sea-floor  as  the  Himalayas  stand  up  above  the  plains  of 
India.  What  the  traveler  really  sees  as  he  journeys 
among  these  islands  are  only  the  summits  of  a  colossal 
mountain  range  jutting  up  out  of  the  waters.  These 
islands  lie  along  what  geologists  call  a  fault  in  the  sur- 
face of  the  earth,  w^hich,  as  it  has  been  cooling  and 
contracting,  has  been  cracked  and  wrinkled  and  folded. 
On  such  lines  the  water  of  the  ocean,  creeping  down  into 
the  heated  interior,  has  been  converted  into  steam  and 
volcanoes  have  been  formed.  Many  of  these  islands, 
the  summits  of  which  are  evidently  old  volcanic  peaks, 
are  quiet  enough  to-day,  save  that  now  and  then  they 
are  jarred  by  earthquakes,  but  now^here  in  the  world  has 
more  awful  destruction  been  wrought  since  the  days  of 
Herculaneum  and  Pompeii  than  was  brought  about  by 
the  explosion  of  Mt.  Pelee  on  Martinique  in  1902. 

Leaving  Trinidad  behind  us  w^e  headed  away  to  the 
northeast.  Tobago  was  passed  during  the  night. 
Morning  found  us  at  Bridgetown,  the  port  and  capital 
of  Barbados,  the  easternmost  of  the  Caribbees.  The 
onl}^  other  large  vessel  in  the  harbor  was  a  Russian  man- 
of-war.     As  soon  as  we  had  cast  anchor,  the  ship  was 


The  Lesser  Antilles  337 

surrounded  by  small  boats,  each  of  which  carried  two 
boys.  As  they  came  alongside  they  began  to  clamor  for 
the  privilege  of  showing  their  skill  as  divers;  "Throw 
me  a  penny,  master!  Watch  me  dive  and  get  it!" 
"Throw  me  a  shilling,  master!  and  I  will  bring  it  up  on 
the  other  side  of  the  steamer! "  The  passengers  stand- 
ing at  the  rail  began  to  toss  small  coins  into  the  water. 
The  coin  had  scarcely  left  the  hand  of  the  thrower, 
before  sixteen  or  seventeen  lithe  black  bodies  disap- 
peared under  the  water  and  then  came  up,  the  one  who 
had  captured  the  coin  displaying  it  for  an  instant  in  his 
fingers,  and  then  transferring  it  to  his  mouth,  which 
served  the  purpose  of  a  purse.  One  of  their  number 
who  was  designated  as  the  "deaf  fellow"  seemed  to  be 
particularly  expert.  All  of  the  boys  were  negroes, 
except  one,  who  was  a  fair-haired  English  lad.  While 
one  of  the  occupants  of  a  boat  was  engaged  in  making 
his  natatorial  displays,  his  comrade  managed  the  craft. 
Then,  when  the  swimmer  became  tired  he  crawled  into 
his  boat  and  took  charge  of  the  oars,  while  the  other 
fellow  took  his  turn  in  the  water.  All  of  them  swam 
^^•ith  great  ease  and  strength  and  showed  fine  muscular 
development. 

Our  anchorage  was  far  out.  We  were  to  take  on 
seven  hundred  tons  of  coal,  and  accordingly  were  told 
that  the  entire  day  and  evening  might  be  passed  upon 
shore.  After  breakfast  we  called  a  small  boat  alongside, 
and  soon  found  ourselves  walking  up  one  of  the  strcxits  of 
the  to\\Tj,  which  is  said  to  derive  its  name  from  the  fact 
that  the  first  settlers  of  the  spot  found  there  a  bridge, 
wliich  the  Indians  had  built  over  a  small  creek  dis- 
charging its  waters  into  the  bay.  The  first  settlement 
was  made  at  Holetown,  a  point  about  seven  miles  north 
of  Bridgetown  on  the  western  .side  of  the  island.     Here 


338  To  the  River  Tkitc  and  Back 

in  1605  a  party  of  Englishmen  on  their  way  to  the 
Spanish  Main  effected  a  landing  and  took  possession  in 
the  name  of  their  king,  the  ceremony  consisting  of 
setting  up  a  rude  wooden  cross  and  carving  upon  the 
bark  of  a  tree  a  declaration  that  the  island  "was  the 
property  of  King  James.  They  then  sailed  away.  At 
that  time  the  only  foothold  which  England  had  in 
the  New  World  was  this  little  island  and  the  rocky 
coast  of  Newfoundland.  Spain,  Portugal,  France,  and 
Holland  claimed  everything  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic. 
Twenty  years  passed  before  a  few  of  these  Englishmen 
accompanied  by  some  of  their  friends  returned,  and 
began  a  formal  settlement  at  Hole  town.  They  were 
quickly  followed  by  a  party  sent  out  by  the  Earl  of 
Carlisle,  who  established  themselves  in  1628  at  Bridge- 
town, which,  because  of  the  better  anchorage,  soon 
became  the  principal  port  of  the  island,  in  fact  the  only 
one  now  resorted  to  by  ocean-going  vessels. 

Barbados  has  been  continuously  in  the  hands  of  the 
English  since  the  days  of  its  first  occupation,  and  is  one 
of  the  very  oldest  of  the  colonial  possessions  of  Great 
Britain,  It  has  an  extreme  length  of  twenty-one  miles 
and  an  extreme  breadth  of  fourteen  miles.  It  contains 
an  area  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-three  square  miles. 
It  has  a  population  of  more  than  two  hundred  thousand, 
and  therefore,  with  the  exception  of  Manhattan  Island, 
is  the  most  densely  inhabited  island  on  the  face  of  the 
globe.  The  population  is  composed  principally  of 
negroes. 

The  style  of  architecture  of  the  older  mansions  is 
Colonial,  recalling  the  old  manor-houses  of  Virginia 
and  the  Carolinas.  In  this  connection  it  is  worth 
remembering  that  the  only  time  George  Washington 
left  the  soil  of  North  America  was  on  the  occasion  of  a 


Ihc  Lesser  Aiuillcs  3,V) 

visit  to  some  of  these  hospitable  mansions,  when  he 
accompanied  his  invalid  brother  to  the  South.  The 
streets  of  the  business  jMDrtioii  of  Bridgetown  are  filled 
with  buildings  of  a  substantitd  character  built  from 
coral-rock.  There  is  an  air  of  English  solidity  about 
the  banks  and  warehouses.  The  residential  j)ortions 
of  the  city  contain  many  pleasant  homes  surrounded  by 
beautiful  gardens  full  of  blooming  shrubs  and  flowers. 
Fine  trees  shade  most  of  the  thoroughfares.  Among 
the  shade-trees  I  noticed  some  magnificent  specimens  of 
the  mahogany-tree  {Stmetenia)  and  the  silk-cottonwood 
(Bombax  ceiba),  the  latter  with  their  trunks  sur- 
rounded by  wide  and  thin  buttresses  of  wood  which 
nature  provides  to  serve  the  purj^ose  of  flying-arches 
with  which  to  support  their  mighty  columns. 

Taking  a  vehicle  we  started  out  on  a  tour  of  explora- 
tion. We  visited  the  markets.  Naturalists  generally 
find  the  vegetable  and  fish-markets  in  strange  lands 
instructive.  My  friends,  Dr.  D.  Starr  Jordan  and  Dr. 
C.  H.  Eigenmann,  who  are  two  of  the  leading  ichthy- 
«)logists  of  the  world,  have  told  me  that  they  make  it  a 
jx)int  to  visit  the  fish-markets  on  their  travels,  and  many 
species  new  to  science  have  been  found  by  them  in 
fish-stalls,  by  the  former  in  the  Orient,  by  the  latter  in 
South  America.  The  venders  of  fish  in  the  West 
Indian  Islands  have  a  large  number  of  fine  species  of 
fcx)d-fishes  at  their  command.  Spanish  mackerel, 
snappers  of  various  species,  jxjmpanos,  and  flying-fish 
were  on  sale  at  Bridgetown.  In  the  fruit-stalls  were 
various  kinds  of  tropical  vegetables  and  fruits  which 
interested.  There  were  three  s]HX-ies  of  anonaceous 
fruits,  the  Sour-sop  [Anona  muricala),  the  Sweet-sop 
(Anona  squamosa),  and  the  Custard-apple  {Anona 
reticulata).     With   the  latter  we  had  already  formed 


340  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

acquaintance  in  Brazil.  Breadfruits  were  abundant. 
So  were  Golden-apples,  as  they  are  called,  pleasant  to 
the  eye,  and  delightful  to  the  palate,  but  the  inner 
seed  armed  with  wir>^  projecting,  wooden  spines,  which 
compel  the  eater,  when  devouring  the  juicy  pulp,  to 
proceed  as  circumspectly  as  one  who  is  eating  shad. 
There  were  yams,  and  cassava-meal,  fresh  ginger — in 
short  a  multitude  of  things  which  we  all  have  read 
about,  but  which  it  was  pleasant  to  see  as  they  came 
from  the  fields  and  gardens. 

In  the  northeastern  part  of  Barbados  there  exists  a 
small  colony  of  a  little  green  African  monkey,  the  mem- 
bers of  which  are  protected.  The  species  {Lasiopyga 
callitrichiis)  is  one  of  the  commonest  in  captivity,  and 
the  usual  attendant  of  the  Italian  organ-grinder.  It 
has  become  naturalized  not  only  in  Barbados,  but  also 
in  St.  Kitts  and  Nevis.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that 
no  monkeys  allied  to  those  of  the  South  American  main- 
land exist  to-day  in  any  of  the  West  Indian  Islands, 
except  Trinidad,  where  a  species  of  Howling  Monkey 
{Aloiiatta  msulamis)  occurs.  Whether  the  monkeys, 
which  may  have  existed  in  the  West  Indies,  were  long 
ago  exterminated,  as  have  been  the  Indians,  is  a  ques- 
tion which  it  is  difficult  at  this  late  date  to  determine. 
Both  the  geological  and  the  written  records  relating  to 
the  mammalian  faima  of  the  Antilles  are  veny^  defective. 
Many  facts  tend  to  show  quite  conclusively  that  the 
Greater  Antilles  must  have  had  at  one  time  a  connec- 
tion with  the  American  mainland.  The  recent  dis- 
covery in  Cuba  by  Mr.  Bamum  Brown  of  the  American 
Museum  of  Natural  History  of  the  remains  of  at  least 
two  species  of  sloths  in  the  bottom  of  a  pool  from  which 
he  pumped  away  the  water,  and  the  discover^'^  in  the 
Isle  of  Pines  by  Mr.  G.  A.  Link  of  the  Carnegie  Museum 


The  Lesser  Antilles  341 

of  the  remains  of  a  peccar>',  whicli  he  found  in  19 12, 
show  conclusively  that  in  quite  recent  times  the  fauna 
of  Cuba,  at  least,  was  allied  to  that  of  the  not  distant 
mainland.  A  hundred  other  facts  mi^ht  be  cited  which 
l>oint  to  the  siime  conclusion.  Very  probably  lon^- 
tailed  monkeys,  related  to  those  of  South  and  Central 
America,  once  existed  in  the  Antilles,  but  have  gone 
the  way  of  all  the  living.  Many  species  of  West  Indian 
birds  are  now  totally  extinct.  The  introduction  of  the 
mongoose  into  Jamaica  led  to  the  total  destruction  in 
that  island  of  many  species  of  birds,  which  nested  on 
the  ground.  The  parrots  of  Cuba  are  going  rapidly. 
The  destroyer  in  this  case  is  a  human  mongoose.  He 
is  a  dealer  in  parrots,  and  during  the  past  year  he  has 
shipped  to  Xew  York  City  many  thousands  of  living 
parrots.  The  poor  birds  live  a  year  or  two  in  the  court- 
yards of  New  York  homes,  being  taught  to  plead  the 
needs  of  "Pretty  Poll."  In  vain  they  squawk  forth 
their  woes,  as  they  shiver  in  the  frosty  air,  and  then  find 
their  last  resting  places  in  garbage-cans.  "  Parrots  are 
getting  to  be  scarce  in  Cuba,"  says  my  assistant,  "in  the 
next  ten  years  they  will  all  be  gone."  A  fine  business, 
this!  Why  should  any  man  be  allowed  to  strip  an 
island  of  its  bird-life,  just  to  put  a  few  dollars,  all  of 
which  is  "blood-money."  into  his  filthy  pockets? 

We  left  the  market-place  and  drove  through  the  out- 
skirts of  the  town  into  the  country.  Wo  were  stnick 
by  the  diminutive  size  of  the  gray  weather- boarded 
houses  of  the  people.  They  are  toy-houses.  In  fact 
they  are  only  sleeping  apartments.  They  could  l)c 
picked  up  and  liauled  away  on  a  cart.  There  were 
hundreds  of  them  lining  the  roads  in  the  suburbs. 
None  of  them  had  chimneys.  The  cooking  is  all  done 
in    the    open    air    in    their    rear.       Cane-fields    cover 


342  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

the  land  back  of  Bridgetown.  The  island  produces 
annually  about  ninety  thousand  hogsheads  of  sugar. 
Along  the  roads  barefooted  women  and  girls  were 
trooping  into  the  town,  carrying  small  quantities  of 
fruits  and  vegetables  to  market  in  trays  and  baskets 
balanced  upon  their  heads.  At  most  their  burdens  were 
of  little  value  measured  in  coin.  We  stopped  and 
priced  the  articles  they  had  for  sale.  A  few  pennies, 
a  shilling,  would  have  bought  what  the  most  heavily 
laden  of  their  number  was  carrying  over  the  hot  roads. 
The  poverty  of  the  swarming  multitude  impressed  itself 
upon  us.  The  island  is  indeed  over- populated,  and  the 
struggle  for  existence  is  acute,  leading  to  a  great  emi- 
gration of  laborers  to  other  parts.  Many  of  the  men 
have  in  recent  years  found  employment  at  Panama, 
where  they  have  been  helping  to  dig  the  big  ditch  which 
is  to  link  the  waters  of  the  Caribbean  with  the  Pacific. 

On  the  way  we  passed  a  clergyman.  The  driver 
told  us  it  was  "the  Moravian  minister."  A  flood  of 
memories  was  awakened.  My  father  was  a  Moravian 
missionary  in  the  West  Indies  when  I  first  saw  the 
light  of  day.  My  mother's  grandfather  was  a  Moravian 
missionar}^  in  the  West  Indies,  the  colleague  and  friend 
of  another  Moravian  missionary,  John  Montgomery, 
the  father  of  James  Montgomery,  the  poet.  John 
Montgomer}"  served  in  Barbados,  and  he  and  his  wife 
are  buried  on  Tobago.  My  mother's  father  was  bom 
at  a  Moravian  mission-station  in  the  West  Indies,  and 
with  his  brothers  was  sent  more  than  a  hundred  years 
ago,  while  they  were  still  little  children,  to  Bethlehem 
in  Pennsylvania  to  be  educated.  There  they  lived  and 
died,  and  there  their  descendants  after  them  lived,  some 
of  them  heli:)ing  to  make  histor\'.  One  of  them  was 
the  founder  of  the  great  Bethlehem  Steel  Company,  the 


llic  Lester  Antilles  343 

present  controlling  spirit  in  which  is  my  friend  of  many 
years,  Charles  M.  Schwab,  and  the  First  Vice-president 
of  which  was  one  of  my  table-mates  on  the  voyage  from 
Buenos  Aires  to  New  York.  I  told  the  coachman  to 
stop,  and,  alighting,  I  set  out  to  seek  the  missionary,  and 
wish  him  Godsi)eed;  but  he  had  gone  into  one  of  the 
houses  to  minister  at  the  bedside  of  a  sick  and  dying 
man,  and  I  felt  I  ought  not  to  intrude,  and  came  away. 
No  body  of  men  have  ever  shown  more  real  heroism 
than  the  missionaries  of  the  Moravian  Church,  who 
were  the  pioneers  of  Protestant  Christendom  in  the 
effort  to  evangelize  the  neglected  and  helpless,  not  as 
was  done  by  the  emissaries  of  Spain  in  these  islands, 
where  the  people  were  baptized  and  then  barbarously 
exterminated,  but  as  it  is  being  done  to-day  by  good 
men  the  world  over,  by  teaching  the  ignorant  to  culti- 
vate habits  of  industr\',  self-help,  and  self-respect,  and 
reverence  for  things  which  are  excellent,  and  pure,  and 
of  good  report.  The  story  of  the  Moravian  missions 
in  the  West  Indies  is  the  stor\'  of  a  self-sacrificing 
devotion,  which,  beginning  with  the  act  of  Leonard 
Dober,  who  offered  to  sell  himself  into  slaver}'  that  he 
might  reach  and  teach  the  slaves,  has  been  one  long  and 
consistent  cfTort  of  kind-hearted  and  \N'isc  men  to  earn' 
light  and  tnith  into  the  dark  places  of  the  earth. 

We  left  Barbados  on  the  morning  of  November  13th. 
and  passed  northward  along  the  western  coast  of  the 
island,  taking  what  the  seamen  call  the  "inner  passage." 
We  caught  sight  of  St.  Vincent  and  St.  Lucia,  their  blue 
peaks  rising  above  the  western  horizon.  Early  in  the 
afternoon  wo  wcrt^  just  off  the  southern  shore  of  Mar- 
tinique. The  Captain  pointed  out  with  thr  ])ride  of  a 
true  British  sailor  the  '*  Stone  Ship."  as  it  has  Ix^n  called. 
Towering  nearly  six  hundred  feet  above  the  water  is  a 


344         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

great  pinnacle  of  reddish  rock,  with  sides  so  steep  that 
it  looks  as  if  nothing  but  a  sea-gull  could  reach  its  top. 
In  the  troublous  times  of  the  Napoleonic  Wars  when 
England  and  France  were  fighting  with  each  other  on 
land  and  sea,  Admiral  Hood  of  the  British  Navy  re- 
solved to  take  possession  of  this  rock,  which  commands 
a  narrow  passage  through  which  from  time  to  time  he 
discovered  that  French  ships  were  escaping  him. 
Somehow  or  other  the  brave  sailors  under  his  command 
found  a  way  up  the  steep  sides  of  the  rock  and  anchoring 
one  of  his  ships  at  the  ver}'-  foot  of  the  clifT,  he  caused 
five  cannon  to  be  hoisted  from  her  deck  by  ropes  let 
down  from  the  summit.  He  landed  one  hundred  and 
twenty  men  as  a  garrison,  and  the  fort  was  entered  on 
the  Admiralty  lists  as  "H.  M.  Ship,  Diamond  Rock." 
For  a  long  while  the  British  sailor-soldiers  held  the  place 
and  gave  the  French  no  end  of  trouble.  At  last  when 
they  had  shot  away  their  last  cannon-ball,  and  the 
drinking  w^ater  had  given  out,  they  surrendered  to  a 
French  fleet  of  sixteen  sail,  which  had  been  for  some 
time  hammering  away  at  them.  These  islands  are  full 
of  memories  which  stir  the  blood.  The  story  of  the 
rise  of  the  naval  power  of  England  is  largely  laid  in  West 
Indian  waters.  Here  were  the  haunts  of  the  buccaneers. 
Here  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  Drake  and  Hawkins,  Rodney 
and  Nelson,  won  many  of  their  laurels.  There  is  not  an 
island,  not  a  strait,  to  which  does  not  attach  some 
legend,  or  story  of  historic  interest.  The  blood  of  the 
sea-rovers  and  sea-fighters  of  the  past  has  dyed  these 
waters  and  crimsoned  the  soil  of  these  islands. 

The  panorama  of  the  western  coast  of  Martinique 
was  slowly  unfolded  before  us  in  the  light  of  a  beautiful 
summery  afternoon.  We  stood  in  close  to  the  shore. 
We  could  see  the  hills  rising  above  Trois  Islets,  and 


The  Lester  Antilles  345 

recalled  the  fact  that  here  wa;>  the  birthjilace  of  Marie 
Joseph  Rose  de  Tascher  de  La  Pagerie,  aiui  of  her  first 
husband,  .Uexandre,  Vicomte  de  Ikauhamais,  whose 
father  was  the  Governor  of  the  island.  Of  that  union 
were  bom  a  son  and  a  daughter,  Eugdne  and  Hortcnse. 
Alexandre  de  Beauhamais  was  a  brave  soldier  and  a 
statesman,  twice  the  President  of  the  National  Assembly 
of  France.  After  his  tragic  death  his  widow  married 
Napoleon,  and  this  daughter  of  the  West  Indies  be- 
came the  first  Empress  of  the  French,  her  daughter 
the  mother  of  Napoleon  III,  her  son  \'iceroy  of 
Italy,  son-in-law  of  the  King  of  Bavaria,  and  his 
son  the  Consort  of  Dona  Maria,  Queen  of  Portugal. 
They  have  all  passed  into  the  realm  of  shadows;  but, 
as  we  looked  in  at  the  entrance  of  Fort  of  France, 
with  its  towers  and  houses  gleaming  white  in  the 
sunshine  above  the  deep  purple  of  the  sea,  we  could 
not  but  think  of  the  wonderful  mutations  which  take 
place  in  human  lives.  Little  did  the  smiling  girl  who 
set  sail  from  this  beautiful  harbor  among  the  hills  to  be 
wedded  in  France  to  the  young  man  to  whom  she  had 
been  betrothed  in  her  childhood  dream  that  the  cro\Mi 
of  an  Empress  was  to  rest  ujwn  her  head,  and  that  she 
was  going  forth  to  play  a  r61e  in  one  of  the  mightiest 
dramas  of  history. 

And  now  we  crept  a  little  closer  to  the  shore.  The 
land  began  to  rise  in  great  folds  of  dazzling  green. 
Behind  the  hills  loomed  up  a  mountain  capped  witli 
clouds.  We  came  still  nearer.  The  top  of  the  moun- 
tain was  desolate.  Dovvti  its  steep  slope  ran  a  great 
^^ide  gash  of  dull  gray,  spreading  out  like  an  inverted 
fan  as  it  approached  the  b<:)rder  of  the  violet  sea.  In 
the  lower  reaches  of  that  gray  expanse  stood,  .silent  and 
deserted,  a  few  crumbling  arches  and  walls,  all  that 


34^  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

remains  of  what  ten  years  ago  was  said  to  be  the  most 
enchanting  of  the  cities  of  the  West  Indies,  a  diminutive 
Paris,  set  in  the  midst  of  tropical  verdure  and  beauty. 
The  gray  mountain  with  the  steam  pouring  out  of  the 
rents  in  its  top  and  forming  clouds  about  its  summit  is 
Pelee,  the  Destroyer;  the  ruins  in  the  foreground  are  all 
that  is  left  of  the  gay  little  city  of  St.  Pierre.  The 
Captain,  who  was  standing  beside  me,  told  me  of  the 
awful  scene,  as  he  had  looked  upon  it  a  few  days  after 
the  holocaust  in  which  forty  thousand  human  lives 
were  snuffed  out  in  an  instant.  The  details  of  the 
eruption  have  been  fully  told  by  the  late  Dr.  Angelo 
Heilprin  in  his  book  entitled  Mont  Pelee,  and  the  Tragedy 
of  Martinique.  The  only  consoling  thought  which 
arises  in  the  mind  is  the  reflection  that  the  poor  victims 
were  not  left  to  suifer  long.  Death  in  a  most  appalling 
form  overwhelmed  them,  but  it  was  "  in  a  moment,  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye."  With  one  fierce  burst  the  hot, 
burning  sulphur-fumes,  pouring  from  the  bowels  of  the 
earth,  swept  down  the  flanks  of  the  mountain  with  the 
speed  of  a  hurricane,  and  all  was  over.  But  one  man,  a 
prisoner  immured  in  a  deep  dungeon,  survived  out  of  the 
multitude.  Of  the  heat  and  corroding  power  of  that 
sulphur  blast  I  saw  a  singular  proof  a  few  years  ago  in 
the  city  of  Paris.  Mons.  Alfred  Lacroix,  the  Curator 
of  the  collection  of  minerals  at  the  National  Museum  in 
the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  showed  me  a  keg  of  nails  which  he 
had  found  among  the  ruins  at  St.  Pierre  on  the  site  of  a 
hardware-store.  The  keg  had  been  standing  open  when 
the  death-dealing  storm  descended.  The  learned 
doctor  has  removed  a  stave  in  the  side  of  the  keg  to 
permit  the  examination  of  the  contents  from  the  top 
to  the  bottom.  At  the  bottom  of  the  keg  the  nails  are 
bright,  new,  and  clean ;  but  the  nails  in  the  upper  half  of 


View  of  Mount  Pelee  from  the  Steamer. 


A  Negro  Boy  Diving  for  a  Penny.     Barbados. 


i  he  Lchi>cr  Antilles  J4/ 

the  keg  have  been  turned  by  the  hot  sulphur  blast  of 
that  day  of  terror  into  iron  pyrites,  iron  sulphide,  many 
of  them  having  assumed  crystalline  forms.  The 
chemical  action  which  turned  nails  into  crystals  of  iron 
sulphide  was  too  great  to  be  resisted  by  poor  human 
flesh  and  blood,  which  shriveled  into  ashes  before  it. 
I  can  faintly  imagine  what  must  have  been  the  agony  of 
the  moment.  On  the  first  day  of  August  in  the  year 
1887  I  made  the  ascent  of  Asama-yama,  one  of  the 
huge  volcanoes  of  Japan,  rising  over  eight  thousand  feet 
above  the  plains  of  the  Kwanto.  I  was  accompanied 
by  a  small  troop  of  faithful  Japanese  attendants.  The 
column  of  steam  and  sulphur-smoke  rising  from  the 
crater  was  ascending  in  a  jx^rpendicular  column  a  mile 
in  height  above  the  mountain-top,  and  then  sj^reading 
out  like  a  huge  umbrella  in  the  up|K^r  air.  The  day 
was  still ;  not  a  breath  of  air  was  stirring.  I  undertook 
to  measure  the  circumference  of  the  crater,  and  had 
almost  completed  the  task,  when  the  servant  who  was 
standing  nearest  to  me  rushed  toward  me,  seized  me  by 
the  arm,  and  ix)inting  upward  exclaimed:  "The  cloud! 
Quick!  run!"  Before  I  had  time  to  even  reflect,  I  in- 
haled a  breath  of  the  excoriating  sulphur-fumes.  It  was 
as  if  I  had  been  stabbed  in  the  vitals.  I  held  my  nose. 
I  shut  my  mouth.  I  tried  to  run.  I  was  forced  again 
to  open  my  mouth;  again  I  was  stabbed  in  the  lungs. 
I  stumbled,  I  fell,  I  rolled  down  a  slojx?  of  lava-ashes. 
I  gathered  myself  up,  and  again  I  ran,  and  at  l.ust 
beyond  the  reach  of  the  white  cloud  which  now  was 
pouring  in  dense  folds  over  the  ver>'  spot  where  I  had 
been  standing  a  few  moments  before,  I  sank  down 
exhausted.  A  wind  suddenly  rising  was  driving  the 
fumes  away  to  the  west.  For  days  aften\ards  it  was 
painful  to  take  a  long  breath  and  my  mouth  and  throat 


M8         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

were  sore.  The  cloud  which  overwhelmed  St.  Pierre 
was  denser,  hotter,  more  heavily  charged  with  acid 
fumes  than  the  one  a  taste  or  two  of  which  I  had  on 
Asama-yama,  but  I  can  imagine  the  awful  agony  of  the 
death  which  overtook  the  people  of  the  ill-fated  city  on 
the  8th  of  May,  1902;  I  have  tasted  it  just  for  an 
instant,  and  the  memory  of  that  little  taste  is  enough. 

As  the  afternoon  wore  b}'  we  came  under  the  tower- 
ing cliffs  which  guard  the  southern  coast  of  Dominica. 
A  silvery  waterfall  of  great  height  was  pouring  directly 
into  the  sea  from  a  dark  precipice  at  the  very  end  of  the 
island.  There  is  an  air  of  rugged  grandeur  about  the 
mountains  of  Dominica  which  is  most  impressive.  The 
story  is  told  that  a  British  naval  officer  was  once  asked 
at  his  Club  to  describe  the  surface  of  this  island.  He 
took  a  piece  of  writing  paper,  crumpled  it  up,  tossed  it 
upon  the  table,  and  said:  "There  you  see  just  how  the 
surface  of  the  island  looks."  It  is  the  most  mountain- 
ous and  roughest  of  all  the  Lesser  Antilles.  Guadeloupe, 
the  next  island  in  the  long  chain,  has  one  peak,  the 
Soufriere,  which  is  a  little  higher  than  the  Mome 
Diablotin  on  Dominica,  just  falling  short  of  being  five 
thousand  feet  in  height;  but  Dominica  has  two  such 
peaks,  each  of  which  exceed  four  thousand  feet  in 
height  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  one  of  them  being 
only  a  little  lower  than  the  high  peak  on  Guadeloupe. 
Unfortunately  the  darkness  of  night  prevented  us  from 
seeing  much  of  the  latter  island  though  we  passed 
immediately  under  the  cliffs. 

On  the  following  morning  the  Captain  kindly  sent  a 
messenger  to  call  me  early.  When  I  flung  back  the 
curtains  at  the  windows  of  my  cabin  the  dawn  was  just 
breaking  over  the  sea.  I  hurriedly  dressed,  and  went  on 
deck.     The  sight  was  calculated  to  awaken  wonder. 


']"li(j  Lesser  Antilles  349 

To  the  south  the  ix.'aks  on  Guadeloupe  were  just  dimly 
visible  as  points  above  the  horizon.  Nearer  at  hand, 
silhouetted  against  the  glory  of  the  eoniing  day,  were 
the  outlines  of  Montserrat,  Nevis,  St.  Kitts,  and  St. 
Eustatius.  The  first  three  islands  belong  to  Great 
Britain,  the  latter  to  the  Dutch.  On  Nevis  Alexander 
Hamilton  was  bom  on  January  ll,  1757,  and  a  little 
more  than  thirty  years  afterwards  a  young  English 
captain  by  the  name  of  Horatio  Nelson  yielded  to  the 
charms  of  a  bright  young  widow,  Mistress  Fanny  Nisbet, 
whose  husband,  a  physician,  had  not  long  before  gone 
to  the  better  world.  They  were  married  on  March 
II,  1787,  very  quietly.  As  little  as  Josephine  de  La 
Pagerie  thought  of  playing  a  part  in  the  history  of  the 
world  when  she  married  Alexandre  Beauhamais,  so 
little  thought  the  widow  of  Dr.  Nisbet,  when  she  married 
the  slight  and  boyish  English  captain,  that  she  was 
wedding  one  of  the  heroes  of  all  time.  And  neither  she 
nor  Josephine  on  their  wedding  day  suspected  the 
domestic  infelicity  and  the  terrible  heartaches  which 
awaited  them.  NajX)leon  had,  as  he  thought,  reasons 
of  state  for  deserting  the  noble  woman  who  had  been  his 
guiding  star  in  the  early  years  of  his  success.  Nelson 
had  no  reason  for  conjugal  infidelity.  It  is  a  foul  blot 
upon  his  career.  Great  as  were  his  achievements,  his 
personal  character  was  not  such  as  to  make  him  worthy 
to  be  held  up  as  an  example  to  his  fellow-men. 

Dead  ahead  of  us  was  Saba,  and  we  soon  came  along- 
side of  it.  This  island,  which  is  almost  circular  in  out- 
line and  scarcely  three  miles  in  diameter,  nscs  more  than 
half  a  mile  in  height  above  the  ocean.  There  is  no 
anchorage,  except  at  the  very  foot  of  the  tall  rocky 
steeps  which  guard  it  on  all  sides.  The  Admiralty 
chart  shows  three  himdrrd  and  seventy-five  fathoms  of 


350 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


water  within  half  a  mile  of  the  shore.  Access  to  the 
island  is  up  a  narrow  cleft  in  the  rocks  on  the  southern 
side.  The  island  belongs  to  the  Dutch.  The  inhabi- 
tants are  few,  and  are  fair-haired  descendants  of  the 
original  settlers  from  Holla.nd.  There  is  a  small  village 
in  the  interior  high  up  on  the  mountain.  The  people 
enjoy  the  reputation  of  being  skilled  as  builders  of  boats. 
The  sole  spot  on  the  island  fitted  for  such  work  is  a  low 
narrow  platform  of  rock  at  the  foot  of  the  defile  down 
which  they  travel  to  reach  the  edge  of  the  water.  Here 
they  build  and  launch  the  craft,  which  they  sell  to  the 
people  of  the  adjacent  islands.  As  we  passed  Saba, 
the  Captain  handed  me  a  fine  glass  and  bade  me  look. 
There  in  the  morning  sunlight  high  up  on  the  edge  of  a 
cliff  was  a  tiny  house.  A  man  in  his  shirt-sleeves  was 
leaning  against  the  doorpost;  a  woman  in  the  little 
enclosure  near  by  was  milking  a  cow.  Children  came 
and  stood  and  watched  the  steamer  as  she  went  by  and 
waved  their  hands.  We  responded  by  waving  our 
handkerchiefs.  To  the  southwest  is  the  great  Saba 
Bank,  a  broad  meadow  of  coral  under  the  sea,  which,  in 
spite  of  the  great  depth  of  the  water  close  to  the  island, 
shoals  in  places  to  six  or  seven  fathoms,  so  that  the 
chart  says,  "rocks  can  be  distinctly  seen  when  over  it." 
We  left  it  on  our  port  side. 

Until  noon  of  the  14th  of  November  we  were  still  in 
sight  of  land.  The  last  of  the  Antilles  to  sink  below  the 
horizon  was  Sombrero,  the  Spanish  Hat,  a  low,  flat, 
sun-baked  expanse  of  coral-rock,  topped  by  a  small 
lighthouse.  We  had  caught  our  last  glimpse  for  the 
time  of  "lands  of  sun."  We  were  now  steaming  quickly 
north  toward  the  cold  and  darkness  of  winter.  Never- 
theless the  air  was  mild  and  balmy  and  remained  so 
until  the  end  of  the  voyage  had  almost  been  reached. 


TIk:  Lesser  Antilles  ,vSi 

On  the  aftemuon  ot  the  i8th  of  November  about 
three  o'clock,  as  I  happened  to  hold  the  "dummy-hand,  " 
I  rose  from  the  table,  walked  to  the  \vindo\v  of  the 
reading-room,  where  we  were  playing,  and  looked  out. 
There  before  me  was  Atlantic  City,  the  boardwalk,  and 
the  long  unsightly  row  of  huge  caravansiirics  which  are 
ranged  along  the  beach.  Later  when  it  grew  dusk  I 
chanced  to  look  up  and  on  our  port  side  saw  a  light 
suddenly  flash  forth — not  like  the  lights  which  we 
had  generally  seen  along  the  coast  of  South  America, 
and  among  the  islands  of  the  West  Indies,  shedding  a 
feeble  radiance  into  the  darkness,  but  a  light,  great, 
strong,  furious.  Handfuls,  armfuls,  great  heaped-up 
piles  of  light,  that  beacon  tossed  out  toward  the  sea, 
and  then  for  a  moment  all  was  dark.  Again  in  surges  of 
glor>'  the  great  flashing  lantern  scattered  its  rays  over 
the  waters.  It  can  be  seen  for  miles  and  miles.  I 
know  that  light  well.  It  stands  upon  the  Atlantic 
Highlands  and  tells  the  traveler  coming  from  off  the  seas 
that  he  is  approaching  the  harbor  of  one  of  the  greatest 
cities  of  the  world,  the  doorway  of  North  America. 
When  dinner  was  over  we  went  on  deck  and  found  that 
we  were  quietly  riding  at  anchor  off  Quarantine.  The 
air  was  cool  and  frosty.  The  journey  begun  in  August 
heats  was  over.  Nearly  twenty  thousand  miles  by 
sea  and  by  land  had  been  covered.  We  were  home 
again. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

OBSERVATIONS  AND  REFLECTIONS 

"Zar  de  tres  tintas,  indio,  bianco,  }•  negro, 
Que  rige  el  continente  americano 
Y  que  se  llama  Pueblo  Soberano. "— f  e/i>e  Pardo. 

THE  discover^'  of  the  New  World  added  to  the 
resources  of  mankind  a  number  of  things,  which 
before  that  event  were  unknown  to  the  inhabitants  of 
the  Eurasian  Continent  and  Africa.  It  is  interesting 
to  observe  how  many  of  the  food-plants  and  vegetables, 
now  in  common  use  all  over  the  world,  had  their  origin 
in  Central  and  South  America.  Perhaps  the  most 
important  of  these  is  maize,  or  Indian  com  {Zea  mats). 
The  word  maize  is  Haytian  in  its  origin.  It  was  the 
name  which  the  Spanish  conquerors  of  Hispaniola 
received  from  the  Indians  and  which  they  carried  with 
the  grain  to  Europe,  where  it  became  incorporated  into 
all  the  modem  languages.  The  cultivation  of  the 
plant  has  extended  throughout  southern  Europe, 
Africa,  Asia,  and  Oceanica.  It  is  one  of  the  principal 
grain  crops  of  the  world  to-day,  and  millions  of  human 
beings  and  tens  of  millions  of  domesticated  animals 
depend  upon  it  in  whole  or  in  part  for  their  sustenance. 
The  potato  is  another  American  plant,  which  plays  an 
important  part  in  the  domestic  economy  of  mankind. 
It  grows  wild  on  the  western  side  of  South  America. 
Improved  by  cultivation  and  developed  in  countless 

352 


Oh'^rnatiDns  and  Rcflccticms  353 

varieties,  it  is  an  imix)rtant  factor  in  the  food  supply  of 
the  nations  of  the  earth.  The  tomato,  the  egg-plant, 
and  the  various  varieties  of  green  and  red  peppers  are 
the  gift  of  the  American  tropics  to  the  tables  of  civil- 
ized men.  The  cacao  is  a  strictly  South  American  plant, 
the  cultivation  of  which  has  been  carried  into  the  hot 
lands  of  the  Orient.  Chocolate  is  a  Mexican  word.  In 
its  original  form  it  was  choco-latl,  the  first  word  in  the 
compound  being  the  Aztec  name  for  cacao,  the  second 
syllable  being  the  Aztec  word  for  water.  Long  before  the 
cotiqiiistadores  made  their  invasion,  the  peoi)le  of  the 
hot  lands  of  South  America  had  practised  the  art  of 
grinding  up  the  seeds  of  the  cacao,  and  mixing  sugar 
and  the  fragrant  extract  derived  from  the  pod  of  the 
vanilla,  which  grows  in  the  hot  American  woods,  with 
the  paste,  thus  forming  the  material  for  a  refreshing 
drink.  The  work  done  on  Indian  metates  is  now  prin- 
cipally carried  on  in  Eurojx^an  and  North  American 
factories,  the  Indian  matrons  and  maids,  who  wielded 
the  mealing-stones,  being  replaced  by  machines  driven 
by  steam  or  electricity.  A  recent  study  of  the  literature 
of  the  subject  made  by  the  writer  shows  that  over  one 
hundred  well-knouTi  plants  of  the  forest,  field,  and 
garden,  yielding  food  or  medicine  to  man,  have  been 
derived  from  the  flora  of  the  Americas,  and  princii)ally 
the  floras  of  Middle  and  South  America. 

The  fauna  of  America  has  added  but  few  species  to 
those  in  domestication.  The  most  notable  addition 
is  the  noble  fowl  which  graces  the  tables  of  Christendom 
on  festal  occasions.  The  bird  was  imjxDrted  into  Spain 
from  Mexico  by  the  early  Spanish  explorers.  It  had 
been  domesticated  by  the  Indians,  and  also  ranged  in 
its  v\-ild  state  from  the  highlands  of  Mexico  as  far 
north   as    Now    England.     Its    English    name,    turkey. 


354  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

points  to  its  introduction  into  Great  Britain  from 
Mediterranean  lands. 

The  gifts  of  the  fauna  and  flora  of  these  lands  to  the 
world  in  the  last  analysis  have  been  more  valuable 
than  the  gifts  of  the  mines,  for  which  these  countries 
are  famous.  The  value  of  the  annual  crop  of  maize 
alone  exceeds  by  far  in  its  aggregate  amount  all  the 
treasure  which  is  being  annually  extracted  from  the 
mines  of  silver  and  gold  which  are  found  in  Central 
and  South  America.  The  amount  which  the  poultry- 
men  of  Christendom  will  receive  next  Thanksgiving 
Day  and  Christmas  for  the  turkeys  sold  from  their 
stalls  will  exceed  in  the  total  all  that  will  be  paid  out 
during  this  year  of  grace  by  those  who  purchase  dia- 
monds and  pearls.  As  permanent  sources  of  wealth 
corn-fields  and  poultry-yards  are  to  be  preferred  to 
mines  of  the  precious  metals  and  of  gems.  They  pay 
better  in  the  long  run. 

The  undeveloped  agricultural  resources  of  South 
America  are  enormous.  Not  only  has  the  continent 
given  much  to  the  stock  of  those  things  which  make 
life  possible  and  enjoyable,  but,  as  a  territory  capable 
of  being  subdued  and  made  productive,  it  offers  a  wdde 
field  for  coming  generations  of  men  who  shall  be  willing 
to  obey  the  primal  command  to  till  the  soil  and  cause 
it  to  yield  its  increase.  Of  the  great  fertility  of  the 
plains  of  Argentina  I  have  already  said  enough;  but 
there  are  other  vast  regions  in  South  America  which 
are  capable  of  being  cultivated  and  made  to  minister 
to  the  wants  of  humanity. 

The  mineral  resources  are  very  great.  There  is  an 
abundance  of  iron  and  copper  in  various  places.  The 
ores  of  the  precious  and  certain  of  the  rarer  metals  are 
abundant  in  the  cordilleran  region.     There  is  evidence 


Observations  and  Reflections  355 

that  petroleum  and  natural  gas  exist,  but  the  localities 
where  these  occur  are  as  yet  difficult  of  access,  and  no 
development  of  consequence  has  taken  place.  Coal  is 
conspicuous  by  its  absence  from  most  of  the  geological 
formations  of  South  America,  and,  where  it  does  occur, 
it  is  of  inferior  quality.  It  must,  however,  be  remarked 
that  there  are  great  areas  in  which  no  thorougl^exami- 
nation  has  as  yet  been  made  to  ascertain  whether  coal 
is  present  or  not.  The  tropical  sun  atones  for  the  lack 
of  coal  over  the  greater  part  of  the  region,  so  far  as 
the  need  of  securing  warmth  for  human  habitations  is 
concerned,  and  the  abundance  of  available  water- 
power  compensates  in  part  for  the  lack  of  mineral  fuel 
as  a  source  of  motive  power.  Along  the  Andes,  in 
eastern  Brazil,  and  in  southern  Argentina  there  are 
rapids  and  falls  enough  to  drive  all  the  engines  now  at 
work  in  the  world. 

The  greater  part  of  the  continent  lies  within  the 
tropics,  and  therefore  the  climatic  conditions  are  not 
generally  regarded  as  favorable  to  the  Caucasian. 
There  arc,  however,  parts  of  the  continent  which  are 
extremely  favorable  to  this  race.  Uruguay,  Argentina, 
Chili,  and  the  highlands,  both  of  the  east  and  the  west, 
reveal  conditions  which  are  quite  equal  to  those  which 
are  found  in  Europe  and  North  America  where  the 
Caucasian  has  been  evolved  at  his  best.  The  hot 
lands  of  Brazil,  the  Guianas,  Venezuela,  and  Colombia 
are  enervating.  The  diseases,  which  have  hitherto 
made  life  in  tropical  countries  dangerous,  bid  fair  with 
the  advance  of  knowledge  to  be  brought  under  control. 
Even  in  the  low-lying  river-valleys,  with  the  draining 
of  the  swamps  and  the  extermination  of  insect  plagues, 
the  conditions  of  life  will  become  more  favorable. 
Manv  of  the  vallevs  of  our  own  western  States  at  the 


356         To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

time  of  their  first  settlement  were  highly  malarious. 
I  can  remember  as  a  child  hearing  the  remark  made 
that  in  the  valley  of  the  Tuscarawas  in  Ohio  the  cost 
of  the  quinine  needed  to  keep  the  family  in  health 
exceeded  the  cost  of  the  flour  which  was  consumed. 
The  remark  was  intended  to  be  a  somewhat  playful 
exaggeration,  but  sixty  years  ago  it  had  foimdation 
in  truth.  It  would  not  be  made  to-day.  Just  as  the 
reclamation  of  the  swampy  lands  in  the  Middle  West 
of  our  own  country  has  led  to  the  disappearance  of 
malarial  fevers  in  places  which  half  a  century  ago  were 
haunted  by  them,  so  also  will  it  be  in  South  America. 
The  city  of  Santos  is  a  notable  example  of  this  (see 
p.  80). 

But  something  more  is  needed  to  constitute  a  state 
than  the  existence  of  large  material  resources  and 
favorable  climatic  conditions.  The  human  element  is 
the  most  important.  If  Greece  in  the  days  of  Socrates 
had  been  inhabited  by  Maoris,  and  Rome  at  the  time 
of  the  Caesars  had  been  populated  by  Berbers,  the  story 
of  those  days  would  have  been  very  different.  Man  is 
the  highest  of  the  animals,  but,  being  an  animal,  a 
good  deal  depends  upon  the  breed.  From  the  stand- 
point of  ethics  we  justly  claim  that  all  men,  so  far  as 
their  rights  are  concerned,  are  bom  free  and  equal ;  but 
they  are  not  bom  equal  in  the  matter  of  their  talents 
and  capacities.  In  physical,  mental,  and  moral  respects 
there  are  great  and  obvious  differences  between  indi- 
viduals of  the  same  race,  and  between  races  themselves. 
In  studying  the  present  condition  of  the  states  of  the 
south  the  student  is  naturally  impressed  by  the  fact 
that  there  has  occurred  in  these  lands  a  great  inter- 
mingling of  racial  elements.  In  fact  the  commence- 
ment of  the  amalgamation  of  races  began  upon  the 


Observations  and  Kctlcctions  357 

soil  of  the  Iberian  Peninsula  prior  to  the  occupation 
of  the  South  American  continent. 

The  lands  of  Central  and  South  America,  colonized 
originally  by  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese,  are  often 
denominated  "Latin  America."  The  appellation  is 
not  strictly  scientific,  and  in  many  respects  is  mis- 
leading. The  people  of  Spain  and  Portugal,  although 
the  languages  they  speak  are  strict  derivatives  from 
the  tongue  of  old  Latium,  have  in  their  veins  very 
nearly  as  little  Latin  blood  as  the  people  of  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland.  The  student  of  ethnology 
knows  well  that  the  Basques,  who  were  the  leaders  in 
the  colonization  of  Chili  and  Argentina,  are  as  little 
Latin  as  the  men  of  Cork  or  Tipperary.  They  are  a 
remnant  of  the  old  Iberian  race,  which  tenanted  the 
peninsula  before  the  days  of  Hannibal,  before  the  days 
of  Csesar.  They  have  perdured  through  the  centuries 
in  their  home  about  the  head  of  the  Bay  of  Biscay, 
while  the  surges  of  conquest  and  colonization  have 
rolled  hither  and  thither  through  Europe,  just  as  the 
Welsh  have  survived  in  their  mountains,  and  the  High- 
landers of  Scotland  have  survived  in  their  fastnesses. 
They  came  in  contact  with  the  various  peoples  who 
from  time  to  time  overran  the  Peninsula,  but  they 
were  neither  Africanized  nor  Romanized.  They  re- 
main to  this  day  a  peculiar  people.  It  is  an  ethno- 
logical error  to  sjx^ak  of  them  as  representing  the  Latin 
race.  Neither  is  the  Spaniard  nor  the  Portuguese, 
strictly  speaking,  Liitin.  For  that  matter  it  is  doubtful 
whether  there  are  any  true  survivals  of  the  old  Latins, 
m  all  of  southern  Eurojx?,  who  have  pre.s^^rved  in  its 
purity  the  bkxxl  of  ancient  Rome.  The  Latin  races 
of  Europe  are  such  in  sentiment,  but  not  in  phy.sio- 
logical  fact.     Even  in  Italy  the  modem  Italian  repre- 


358  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

sents  in  his  veins  Gallic  and  Teuton  rather  than  Roman 
descent.  Omniscience  alone  could  disentangle  from 
the  skein  of  life  in  southern  Europe  the  thread  of  Latin 
humanity  which  is  woven  into  the  blood  of  these 
peoples.  This  is  preeminently  true  in  Spain  and 
Portugal.  No  population  in  Europe  represents  a  more 
complex  synthesis  of  racial  elements  than  the  popula- 
tion of  the  Peninsula.  One  of  the  latest  writers  upon 
this  subject,  himself  of  Spanish  lineage,  says: 

Spain  is  African,  even  from  prehistoric  ages.  The 
Iberian  is  like  the  men  of  the  Atlas ;  like  them  he  is  brown 
and  dolichocephalous.  The  Kabyle  douar  and  the  Spanish 
village  represent  remarkable  analogies.  An  early  geological 
change  separates  by  a  narrow  strait  two  similar  countries; 
two  successive  invasions  spread  an  infusion  of  African  blood 
throughout  the  Peninsula.  Phoenicians  and  Carthaginians 
found  colonies  in  maritime  Spain;  in  711  seven  thousand 
Berbers  establish  themselves  in  the  south ;  and  the  invasion 
of  the  Almohades  in  1145  still  further  unites  Iberians  and 
Africans.  During  the  long  centuries  of  conflict  between 
Christians  and  Arabs  the  two  races  intermingle  under  the 
cultivated  tolerance  of  the  Khalifs.  The  Gothic  kings  seek 
the  aid  of  Arab  chieftains  in  their  quarrels;  the  Cid  is  a 
condottiere  who  fights  alternately  in  the  Mussulman  and 
Christian  armies,  serving  with  his  troop  of  heroes  under  the 
highest  bidder.  The  Spanish  monarchs  in  turn  intervene 
in  the  quarrels  of  the  Khalifs,  and  Alfonso  VI.  in  11 85  allies 
himself  with  the  Moorish  king  of  Seville  in  order  to  conquer 
Toledo,  The  Arabs  study  under  the  masters  of  the  Spanish 
capitals,  while  the  Spaniards  study  Arabic,  and  are  initiated 
into  Oriental  science. ' 

The  Peninsula  formed  not  only  a  bridge  from  which 
Africa  sought  entrance  into  Europe,  and  indeed  found 

^F.  Garcia  Calderon,  Latin  America  (New  York,  1913),  p.  41. 


Observations  and  Rctlcctions  359 

it,  but  a  cul-de-sac  in  which  the  sj)ont  invasions  of 
Europe  from  the  north  and  the  east  found  a  final  rest- 
ing place.  Across  the  narrow  strait  swarmed  Phoeni- 
cians, Carthaginians,  Berbers,  Arabs,  Copts,  Touaregs, 
Syrians;  from  the  north  and  the  east  came  Romans, 
Franks,  Goths,  \'isigoths,  and  Vandals.  All  mingled 
in  time  with  the  old  Iberian  stock;  except  where,  in 
the  mountain  fastnesses  of  the  Pyrenees,  the  ancient 
people,  to-day  known  as  the  Basques,  kept  themselves 
more  or  less  aloof  from  the  invaders. 

The  discovery  of  the  New  World  evoked  in  this 
exceedingly  complex  people  the  spirit  of  adventure  and 
daring.  They  found  their  way  across  the  Atlantic  and 
took  possession  of  the  newly  found  lands.  They  in- 
termarried with  the  conquered  races.  Their  leaders 
in  Mexico  and  Peru  took  to  themselves  as  wives  the 
daughters  of  Indian  princes.  The  soldiery  were  con- 
tent with  less  exalted  unions.  In  time  there  took 
place  an  importation  of  Africans  to  till  the  soil.  The 
process  of  racial  amalgamation  went  further.  The 
result  is  something  unlike  what  has  occurred  in  any 
other  region  of  the  globe.  To  quote  again  from  the 
same  author  who  has  just  been  cited: 

From  the  negro  bozal  recently  imported  from  Africa  to 
the  qtiinteron,  the  offspring  of  slaves  purified  by  successive 
unions  with  the  whites;  from  the  Indian  who  mourned  his 
monotonous  scr\'itudc  in  the  solitude  of  the  mountains,  to 
the  colored  student  of  the  universities,  we  find  in  the 
Seventeenth  Century  as  in  the  Twentieth,  in  the  colonics  as 
in  the  republics.  evcr>'  variety  of  this  mixture  of  Iberians, 
Indians,  and  Africans.* 

The  result  of  this  great  fusion  of  bloods  represents 

•  Caldcron,  /.<".,  p.  50. 


360  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

only  in  small  degree  the  perpetuation  of  the  Latin 
race.  It  would  be  far  more  correct  from  the  stand- 
point of  the  ethnologist  to  speak  of  these  peoples 
as  Iberian  Americans,  if  some  comprehensive  term, 
pointing  back  to  their  origin,  is  required. 

But  while  the  process  of  racial  amalgamation  has 
been  going  on,  there  has  also  been  going  on  a  process  of 
differentiation.  The  population  of  South  America  is 
not  homogeneous.  There  are  distinctions  observable, 
which  have  their  root  in  the  past.  There  are  racial 
distinctions  which  make  themselves  manifest.  There 
are  historical  traditions  and  points  of  view  which  are 
radically  different.  These  republics  are,  as  they  claim 
to  be,  nations,  and  not  states,  such  as  those  of  the 
American  Union  in  North  America.  The  provinces  of 
the  South  American  republics  correspond  to  our  states. 
In  each  of  these  Iberian  American  republics  a  distinct 
national  consciousness  has  been  evolved.  The  Argen- 
tine is  proud  that  he  is  an  Argentine,  the  Chileno  that 
he  is  a  Chileno,  the  Brazilian  that  he  is  a  Brazilian. 
With  the  lapse  of  time  this  national  consciousness  will 
be  deepened  and  intensified,  and  in  the  lapse  of  time 
the  commingling  of  blood  will  go  further  than  it  has 
yet  gone.  To-day  in  Argentina  the  population  is 
becoming  most  complex,  every  race  and  people  under 
the  sun  is  being  melted  into  the  human  mass.  But  is 
not  this  precisely  what  is  taking  place  in  the  United 
States  of  North  America? 

The  reader  must  be  cautioned  not  to  conclude  from 
what  has  been  said  that  the  process  of  racial  amalgama- 
tion has  been  absolutely  universal,  and  that  there  is 
no  remnant  left  among  the  descendants  of  the  early 
settlers  who  are  of  pure  Spanish  or  Portuguese  extrac- 
tion.    Just  as  in  the  United  States  there  survives  an 


ObscrwitiuiLs  and  Reflections  301 

element  in  the  population  who  recall  the  fact  that  they 
are  the  descendants  of  those  who  were  the  first  to  lay 
the  foundation  of  the  States  along  the  Atlantic  sea- 
board, and  who  pride  themselves  upon  the  mainten- 
ance of  pure  Caucasian  pedigree,  even  if  they  do  marry 
outside  of  the  charmed  circle  of  the  Sons  and  Daughters 
of  the  American  Revolution,  so  in  every  one  of  the 
South  American  republics  there  is  to  be  found  a  cer- 
tain relatively  small  percentage  of  the  i)opulation  which 
has  carefully  avoided  intermarriage  with  others  than 
Caucasians.  These  old  South  American  families, 
strengthened  by  unions  with  those  of  Caucasian  stock 
who  have  more  recently  come  into  the  countries  where 
they  live,  constitute  an  aristocracy  of  talent  and  of 
wealth,  which  has  been  potent  both  in  the  political 
and  social  life  of  the  South  American  nations.  This  is 
especially  true  in  Argentina,  Uruguay,  Chili,  and  Brazil, 
to  a  somewhat  lesser  extent  in  the  northwest,  in  Cen- 
tral America,  and  in  Mexico.  This  old  landed  aris- 
tocracy has  exercised  oligarchical  prerogatives,  and  up 
to  the  present  time  has  largely  ruled  these  lands. 
From  this  comparatively  limited  body  of  the  citizen- 
ship have  been  drawn  the  leaders  in  the  church  and 
the  state. 

The  writer  as  a  student  of  ethnic  conditions  must 
also  utter  a  warning  against  the  conclusion,  which 
might  erroneously  be  drawn  from  what  has  been  said, 
that  the  invariable  result  of  a  mingling  of  the  old 
Iberian  stock  ^^^th  the  native  races  tended  to  a  lowering 
of  vitality  and  mentality.  This  is  ix?rhaps  true  in 
general,  but  there  have  Ixjcn  notable  exceptions.  It 
is  not  by  any  means  to  be  accepted  as  a  law  that  the 
offspring  of  unions  lutwecn  Caucasians  and  Indians 
anil  negroes  is  devoid  of  intollrclua!  and   nmnil  vitjor. 


362  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

Rivadavia,  the  first  President  of  the  Argentine  Repub- 
lic, was  a  mulatto;  but  he  was  a  man  of  great  mental 
capacity  and  high  moral  power,  a  far-seeing  statesman, 
and  a  true  patriot.  Measured  in  every  way  he  was 
truly  a  great  man,  of  whom  his  nation  may  well  be 
proud.  Santa-Cruz,  the  great  caiidillo,  who  for  twenty 
years  shaped  the  destinies  of  the  infant  republic  of 
Bolivia,  was  the  son  of  an  Indian  princess,  the  Cacica 
of  Guarina.  No  student  of  his  career  can  call  in 
question  the  fact  that  he  was  a  man  of  signal  ability. 
Many  other  cases  might  be  cited  which  tend  to  show 
that  the  union  of  the  bloods  of  the  different  races  is 
not  necessarily  followed  by  retrogression  in  physical 
and  mental  power.  Nevertheless  these  cases  are 
unusual  and  sporadic.  The  general  result  of  such 
unions  has  been  to  level  downward  rather  than  upward. 
To-day  in  South  America  social  standing  is  determined, 
as  it  was  in  the  time  of  Humboldt,  by  the  degree  of 
the  whiteness  of  the  skin. 

From  a  broad  survey  of  the  human  conditions  which 
exist  in  South  America  there  is  a  great  deal  to  create 
hopefulness  as  to  the  future  of  these  nascent  nations. 
There  is  in  them  enough  genuine  virility  to  create 
peoples  capable  of  performing  their  part  with  distinc- 
tion upon  the  arena  of  the  world.  There  is  intellec- 
tual capacity,  there  is  no  lack  of  high  ideals  and  pure 
purposes,  there  is  physical  energy.  These  lands  of  the 
Southern  Cross,  the  story  of  which  in  the  past  has  had 
in  it  so  much  of  the  painful  and  the  tragic,  are  certainly 
destined  in  the  process  of  the  years  to  be  the  scene  of 
much  which  shall  glorify  humanity. 

Since  my  return  I  have  been  frequently  asked  what 
is  the  attitude  of  these  peoples  toward  the  people  of 
the  United  States  of  North  America.     To  answer  such 


Observations  and  Reflections  363 

a  question  a  prouder  induction  of  facts  is  necessary 
than  it  is  possible  for  a  man  to  make  who  has  only- 
paid  a  fleeting  visit  to  the  south,  and  has  only  touched 
it  at  a  few  points.  I  can  only  record  my  impressions. 
I  may  however  say  truthfully  that  so  far  as  my  individ- 
ual experience  is  concerned  I  discovered  nothing  which 
would  not  imply  genuine  friendship  for  the  United 
States  in  the  circles  with  which  I  was  brought  into 
contact.  It  is  true  that  it  was  my  happy  lot  to  be 
thrown  during  my  brief  stay  into  the  society  of  educated 
and  broad-minded  men,  who  in  all  lands  are  very  much 
the  same.  There  is  an  international  brotherhood  of 
scientific  and  literarj'  men,  which  lives  above  the  at- 
mosphere of  common  strife,  and  which,  bound  together 
by  mutual  sympathies  and  purposes,  sees  in  all  men 
friends.  It  was  with  such  men  that  I  was  associated. 
There  is  reason,  however,  to  think  that  not  all  of  the 
people  of  these  lands  are  as  intelligent  and  far-seeing 
as  the  cultivated  gentlemen  with  whom  I  was  brought 
into  contact.  I  noted  not  without  surprise  as  I  read 
the  daily  papers  that  a  feeling  of  suspicion  and  distrust 
as  to  the  integrity  of  the  purposes  of  the  citizens  of  the 
United  States  in  their  dealings  with  the  peoples  of 
South  America  was  occasionally  expressed.  It  was 
particularly  surprising  to  note  the  evident  hostility 
of  the  only  English  newspaper  printed  in  Buenos 
Aires  to  all  things  "American,"  using  this  term  in  the 
sense  in  which  we  are  in  the  habit  of  employing  it 
among  ourselves.  It  was  at  once  amusing  and  a 
trifling  disconcerting  to  find  one  momihg  on  the  front 
page  of  Caras  y  Carelas,  the  weekly  magazine  published 
in  Buenos  Aires,  which  corresjxjnds  to  our  Puck  and 
Jndiic  a  caricature  representing  "Uncle  S>am"  as  a 
big    black    spider    in    the    middle    of   his    web,  about 


364 


To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 


him  a  number  of  victims  labeled  Texas,  Puerto  Rico, 
Panama,  Ilabana,  and  Nicaragua,  while  in  the  fore- 
ground are  three  "dreadnoughts"  flying  the  flags  of 
Argentina,  Brazil,  and  Chili,  the  Presidents  of  the  first 
and  last  of  which  are  looking  up  with  evident  apprehen- 


sion towards  the  spider-web,  which  fills  the  sky.  The 
title  of  the  caricature  is,  "El  A.  B.  C.  de  la  Question"; 
the  legend  below  is,  "Hay  que  completar  el  alfabeto,  si 
no  queremos  ser  cazados  como  moscas" — The  alphabet 
must  be  filled  out,  if  we  do  not  wish  to  be  trapped  like 


Observations  aiul  Rctlcctions  365 

flics.  In  speaking  about  the  matter  to  one  of  my 
Argentine  acquaintances  I  ventured  to  plumply  ask 
him  the  question  why  Argentina  should  be  apparently 
venturing  upon  the  ver>'  costly  anil  burdensome  under- 
taking of  purchasing  and  maintaining  a  fleet  of  war- 
vessels.  He  answered,  "We  arc  doing  it  because  we 
are  afraid  of  you."  I  replied,  "But  what  reason  have 
you  to  fear  the  United  States?  Do  you  not  realize 
that  there  is  not  a  rifle  in  our  na\'y  which  would  ever 
be  used  except  to  protect  and  shield  you  in  the  event 
that  some  grave  national  peril  should  threaten  you? 
We  are  your  friends  and  not  by  any  possibility  capable 
of  becoming  your  enemies."  To  this  remark  he  made 
no  reply. 

It  was  disconcerting  to  now  and  then  overhear  men 
speaking  of  the  "Yankee  peril."  The  latter  I  suspect 
is  more  keenly  apprehended,  not  by  the  people  of  the 
country  themselves  and  their  intelligent  rulers,  but 
by  the  mercantile  classes  of  foreign  lands,  temporarily 
resident  in  South  America,  and  doing  business  in  the 
markets.  The  gradual  increase  of  the  commerce  of  the 
United  States  with  these  countries  has  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent aroused  the  jealousyand  provoked  the  apprehension 
of  a  certain  element,  which  has  long  been  entrenched 
in  these  republics  and  has  come  to  believe  that  it 
possesses  a  rightful  monoj)oly  of  their  trade.  But  the 
South  American  of  Portuguese  or  Spanish  extraction, 
who  has  been  for  many  years  com|x?lled  to  pay  heavily 
for  the  satisfaction  of  his  wants,  is  not  disjxjsed  upon 
the  discovery  of  the  fact  that  he  can  obtain  his  wares 
of  equal  quality  at  lower  prices  to  denounce  the  man 
who  is  thus  purveying  to  his  wants  as  a  public  enemy. 

There  are  other  "perils,"  which  the  gentlemen  of 
the  newspaper  fraternity  and  essayists  detect  upon  the 


366  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

world-horizons,  as  they  scan  them  from  the  quiet  of 
their  sanctums,  and  which,  as  they  portray  them,  help 
them  to  work  off  editions  of  their  writings.  One  of 
these,  scarcely  less  terrific  in  its  proportions  than  the 
so-called  "Yankee  peril,"  is  the  "German  peril."  This 
is  regarded  as  being  particularly  insidious  in  its  nature. 
Its  ravages  are  noticeable  especially  in  southern  Brazil, 
where  it  has  been  accompanied  by  the  reclamation  of 
large  tracts  of  hitherto  uncultivated  lands,  the  establish- 
ment of  schools,  churches,  and  the  institutions  of 
civilized  life.  It  is  remarkable  for  the  importation 
into  the  regions  where  it  has  fastened  itself  of  habits 
of  order,  thrift,  and  industry.  It  is  also  characterized 
by  a  certain  persistence  in  the  use  of  the  language  of 
the  Fatherland,  an  addiction  to  beer  and  to  sauer- 
kraut. In  North  America  we  have  so  long  been  ac- 
quainted with  this  "peril,"  that  in  a  measure  it  has 
lost  its  terrors.  It  gave  us  the  Astors  in  New  York, 
and  the  Wistars  in  Philadelphia.  It  invaded  Penn- 
sylvania early  in  the  eighteenth  century.  It  gave 
us  the  Muhlenbergs,  the  Shunks,  the  Snyders,  the 
DeSchweinitzes,  the  Wolles,  the  Haldemans,  and  the 
Rothermels.  At  the  time  of  the  Revolution  it  was  re- 
presented by  a  Steuben  and  a  DeKalb ;  at  the  time  of 
the  Civil  War  by  such  men  as  Carl  Schurz,  Siegel,  Rose- 
crans,  and  Schimmelpfennig.  It  transformed  the  central 
part  of  Pennsylvania  into  a  veritable  "Garden  of  the 
Lord,"  and  to-day  is  relied  upon  to  do  good  work 
wherever  good  work  is  required.  It  is  useful  in  schools, 
colleges, libraries,  museums,  and  studios.  It  works  won- 
ders in  mills,  stores,  and  shops.  It  is  especially  useful 
in  fields  and  forests.  The  experience  which  the  people 
of  the  United  States  of  North  America  have  had  with 
the  "German  peril"  inclines  them  to  take  it  to  their 


Observations  and  Ivctlcctions  367 

bosoms.  As  a  student  oi  history  ami  liuniaii  develop- 
ment the  writer  is  inclined  to  think  that  this  dark  cloud 
should  not  be  felt  by  South  American  statesmen  to  bo 
as  thoroughly  charged  with  mischief  as  some  of  the 
newspaper  writers  in  the  southern  cities  apparently 
think  it  to  be.  The  lines  of  Cowper  are  appropriate 
in  this  connection,  and  the  writer,  as  a  "Pennsylvania 
Dutchman, "  commends  them  to  those  of  his  South 
American  friends  who  are  at  present  afflicted  with 
Teutonophobia : 

Ye  fearful  saints,  fresh  courage  take, — 

The  clouds  ye  so  much  dread 
Are  big  with  mercy,  and  shall  break 

In  blessings  on  y()ur  head. 

There  is  still  another  "peril,"  which  the  wise  men 
have  discovered  in  South  America  as  in  North  America, 
and  that  is  the  "Japanese  peril."  This  is  like  the 
"German  peril"  characterized  by  industry  and  adapt- 
ability to  circumstances.  It  is  frugal,  turns  deserts 
into  gardens,  and  with  plodding  zeal  accomplishes  the 
world's  work,  wherever  it  gets  a  chance  to  address 
itself  to  it.  Withal  it  is  artistic  in  the  effects  it  pro- 
duces. But  of  all  these  bug-a-boos  none  at  the  present 
time  in  certain  circles  is  taken  quite  as  seriously  as  the 
"Yankee  peril."  While  expressing  grave  concern  for 
the  darkness  of  the  cloud  in  the  northern  skj'  these 
sapient  gentlemen  do  not  fail  to  recognize  the  fact  that 
the  Monroe  Doctrine  has  been  the  Palladium  of  their 
liberties  in  the  past.  As  they  contcmpK-rtc  with  excite- 
ment the  "German  peril"  and  the  "Japanese  terror." 
they  lay  to  their  hearts  the  consolation  that  things 
might  be  much  worse  than  they  seem,  since  the  great 
Republic  of  the  North  has  said  that  it  "could  not  view 


368  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

any  interposition  for  the  purpose  of  oppressing  the 
states  of  South  America  or  controlHng  in  any  other 
manner  their  destiny  by  any  European  power  in  any 
other  hght  than  as  the  manifestation  of  an  unfriendly 
disposition  toward  the  United  States."  This  whole 
matter  of  "perils,"  which  is  consuming  so  much  space 
in  the  columns  of  the  sensational  journalism  of  the 
day,  is  beginning  to  be  monotonous  to  intelligent 
readers,  who  know  their  world.  It  might  be  dismissed 
with  laughter,  were  it  not  for  the  fact  that  its  endless 
reiteration  has  a  tendency  to  provoke  genuine  irritation, 
which  is  not  pleasant. 

Our  French  friends,  since  the  eclipse  of  Spain  as  a 
world-power,  have  in  recent  years  come  to  feel  that 
they  in  a  certain  sense  hold  the  hegemony  among  the 
so-called  Latin  nations,  and  there  has  been  a  great  deal 
of  friendly  camaraderie  and  pleasant  interchange  of 
compliments  between  them  and  the  politicians  of  the 
South  American  republics.  It  is  all  very  delightful 
and  in  certain  aspects  it  is  amusing.  The  prediction 
made  by  a  recent  writer  that  the  day  may  come  when 
the  center  of  Latin  culture  will  be  removed  from  the 
banks  of  the  Seine  to  the  banks  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata, 
and  that  Buenos  Aires  will  become  the  home  of  the 
arts,  as  Paris  and  Rome  have  been  in  the  past,  involves 
a  rather  bold  flight  of  the  imagination.  Among  culti- 
vated circles  in  South  American  lands  the  representative 
arts  are  indeed  appreciated;  but,  so  far  as  the  writer 
could  ascertain,  on  the  practical  side  there  is  as  yet 
very  little  effort  being  made  to  cultivate  these  arts. 
The  statuary  and  pictures  to  be  found  in  galleries  and 
the  homes  of  the  wealthy  are  principally  importations, 
as  they  are  to  a  very  large  degree  also  in  the  United 
States    of    America.     The    number    of    sculptors    and 


Observations  ami  Reflections  369 

painters  bom  on  the  soil  ui  the  South  American  states 
is  very  small,  and  the  works  of  art  produced  b}-  them 
up  to  the  present  time  are  a  negligible  quantity.  Still, 
as  I  have  remarked,  art  is  appreciated,  and  I  hatl 
evidence  of  that  fact  as  I  went  to  and  fro  between  La 
l^lata  and  Buenos  Aires  and  saw  beside  the  railway 
track,  in  the  middle  of  a  muddy  and  neglected  pond, 
a  plaster  cast  of  the  \'enus  de  Milo,  at  sight  of  which 
the  gentlemen  on  the  train  looked  forth  with  pleasure 
and  the  scfioras  and  scfwriUis  held  their  fans  before 
their  faces.  What  can  have  induced  the  implantation 
of  this  effigy,  recalling  the  Louvre,  in  the  midst  of  a 
frog-pond,  except  the  rising  and  budding  impulses  of 
aesthetic  sentiment?  There  must  be  a  future  for  art 
in  this  New  World. 

Since  his  return  from  South  America  the  writer  has 
frequently  been  asked  what  is  likely  to  be  the  result  of 
the  opening  of  the  Panama  Canal,  and  particularh 
whether  it  is  going  to  result  in  the  cheapening  of  food- 
supplies  in  the  United  States.  The  canal  will  not  bring 
the  meat  and  grain  of  Argentina  and  Uruguay,  the 
coffee  and  sugar  of  Brazil  nearer  to  us  than  they  now 
are.  The  agriculturally  productive  regions  of  South 
-Vmerica  lie  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Andes.  There 
is  only  a  narrow  strip  of  productive  land  on  the 
western  coast  of  the  South  American  continent,  and 
the  crops  of  the  region  are  not  much  more  than 
adequate  at  the  present  time  to  supply  Icxal  wants. 
The  only  railway  which  at  present  connects  the  rich 
plains  of  the  Atlantic  side  of  the  continent  with  the 
ports  on  the  western  coast  is  not  likely  to  be  used 
to  any  great  extent  for  the  transportation  of  grain  and 
cattle.  The  Trans-Andine  Railway,  which  links 
Buenos  Aires   with   Valpiiraiso,  has  some   very  steep 


3/0  To  the  River  Plate  and  Back 

grades,  and  is  partly  narrow  gauge  at  present;  traffic 
upon  it  in  the  winter  months,  June,  July,  and  August, 
has  been  much  interrupted  by  landslides  and  snow-falls, 
and  up  to  the  present  has  been  more  or  less  irregular. 
It  is  extremely  improbable  that  this  road  under  ex- 
isting conditions  could  be  made  the  vehicle  of  a  large 
traffic  in  cereals  and  meats,  destined  to  be  sent  north- 
ward up  the  coast  by  the  canal  to  North  American 
ports.  The  ocean-mileage  from  Valparaiso  to  the 
Atlantic  ports  of  the  United  States  is  two  thousand 
miles  less  than  from  Buenos  Aires  to  the  same  ports, 
but  the  land -carriage  from  sea  to  sea  would  more  than 
consume  any  slight  reduction  in  cost  on  account  of  the 
shorter  distance  by  water. 

The  new  canal  will  give  easy  access  from  Atlantic 
ports  to  the  ports  of  Ecuador,  Peru,  and  Chili,  but  the 
exports  of  food-stuffs  from  these  states  are  certain  to 
be  relatively  small.  Ores,  nitrates,  and  hides  may  be 
shipped  in  increased  quantities  from  these  regions,  but 
the  Panama  Canal  does  not  reach  out  to  the  great  food- 
making  centers  of  the  southern  continent,  and  the 
result  of  its  opening  to  commerce  will  not  in  all 
probability  reduce  the  cost  of  bread  and  meat  in  the 
United  States.  If  half  of  what  the  canal  has  cost  the 
nation  had  been  devoted  to  a  systematic  upbuilding  of 
the  shipping  industries  of  the  United  States,  the  result, 
so  far  as  the  development  of  commerce  and  the  low- 
ering of  prices  for  staple  commodities  is  concerned, 
would  have  been  much  greater.  But  the  building 
of  the  canal  was  not  undertaken  for  the  purpose  of 
reaching  South  America,  rather  or  the  purpose  of 
reaching  quickly  and  cheaply  our  own  empire  on  the 
Pacific  coast. 

I  would  like  to  revisit  South  America  in  the  year 


observations  ami  Rejections  371 

A.D.  2012.  What  a  garden  of  delight  the  land  will  then 
present  to  view!  What  a  noble  group  of  happy  and 
prosperous  nations  will  then  exist,  covering  the  con- 
tinent, the  wastes  redeemed,  the  spirit  of  unhallowed 
rivalry  and  jealousy  abolished,  and  the  blessings  of 
world-peace  prevailing!  If  men  are  wise  and  good- 
natured,  as  they  may  be;  if  they  come  to  know  each 
other,  as  they  can;  the  Millennium  need  not  long  be 
deferred. 


INDEX 


Abyssinia,  home    of   coffcc-planf, 

84 
Aracia,  229,  270 
Academy   of    Fine    Arts,    Ri<»   dc 

Janeiro,  68 
Academy  t/  Science,  La  Plata,  255, 

257:  St.  PetiTsburR,  14 
Accidtnt   to    I)ij)IcMi(K-us,   St.    Pe- 

tersburR,  250:  on  railway,  313 
Aconcagua,  130,  2qi 
Africans  in  Brazil,  46:  in  UniKuay. 

94 
A^assiz,  Uiuis,  325 
"Age  of  reptiles,"  5 
A(>rl<rus  thtlius,  173 
A^rronia,  thf  clicking  ooisc  niade 

by,  73 
Agrias,  293 
ARricuItural    resources    of    South 

America,  354 
Alcaus  |:)a raj )h rased  by  Sir  William 

Jones,  146 
Alcorta,  Dr.  Jos^  Figueroa,  123 
All.Ufa,  145.  155,  238 
Mfnnso  \'I.,  358 
Mkalino  soil,  132 
.AIliRator.  48 
Mmohades,  the,  358 
Mph.i  Ccnlauri,  33.  34 
Mvarez,    Diego,    first    settler    of 

Brazil,  54.  81 
Alvarez,  Seflor  Don  Ajjustin,  123, 

Alvarez,  Scflor  Don  Luis  A.,  213 
Amazon,  mouth  of,  320 
Amblyrhiimpkui  holoserueus,  1 73 
.•\mov:hin<),  Carltvs,  207.  208,  220 
.Amcvrhino,  Scftor  Florcntino,  21)7, 

208,  214,  215,  «i8. 244.  246 
timrricana,  Rhea,  148 
Ampullaria     lanaliculata 

D'Orbigny.  232 


Annrlui  jatroplur,  nmallhra,  327 

Am  lior  o(  0)lum!)us,  323 

Andes,  130-132.  278,  290 

Animals,  migration  of,  from  dif- 
ferent continents,  206 

Anona  muricala,  retutdala,  squa- 
mosa, 339 

Antarctica  connecte<l  with  Aus- 
tralia, South  America,  and 
.Africa,  205 

A  nihurium,  327 

Antilles,  the  I>csscr,  334-351 

Ant-nests,  284,  304 

Antonio,  274,  277 

Ants,  74,235,284,308 

Apostrophe  to  Rio  de  Janeiro,  57 

Apple-trees,  182 

Aquecluct,  built  by  Jesuits,  Rio 
dc  Janeiro,  61,  71 

Ar:ibs.  358,  359 

Araucaria,  22j:  excelsa,  228;  im- 
bricata,  228 

Arch  of  Titus,  25 

Archcan  rocks.  3.  4 

Arrlomvs,  195 

Argentina,  i.  15.  16.  100-107,128- 
146,  355:  arid  lands,  13^133; 
blue  sky  of,  147:  colonization, 
'36,  138:  composite  population, 
121,  142,  359;  compulsorj'  edu- 
cation, 140:  cost  of  living  in. 
144:  country  of  beef  and  wheat. 
107:  dimensions,  128:  dr>- 
farming  in.  133:  English  in,  142. 
299:  flora.  155:  food-supplie<. 
•89.  ^54.  French  in,  142:  furl. 
107:  importntion  of  cattle  int>>, 
145;  Irish  in.  142;  lake  region. 
115.  131;  new  railroads,  135: 
President,  254;  pnce  of  labor. 
'45;  price  of  land,  144:  protec- 
tive tarifT.  J  44:  republicanism 
140;  Russians  in.  142:  Scotch 
in.  142:  9oil,2j8:  sugar  industry-. 


373 


374 


Index 


Argentina — Continued 

281;  topography,  129;  towns 
with  English  names,  143;  war 
vessels,  icx);  waterfalls,  135,  291 

Argentines,  meat-eaters,  189;  poli- 
ticians, 136;  proud  of  nation- 
ality, 360 

Arid  lands,  132-133 

Armadillos,  206,  287 

Armadillo-baskets,  287 

Arms,  merchant  of,  126 

Artisans  in  Bahia,  52 

Artistic  sense,  lack  of,  52 

Artocarpus  incua,  48;  integrifolia, 
48 

Arundo  donax,  229 

Asama-yama,  ascent  of,  by  author, 

347 

Asarum  caulescens,  226 

Asimina  triloba,  327 

Asphalt  Lake,  Trinidad,  331 

Aspidosperma  quebracho,  270 

Astronomers,  35,  42,  iii,  112 

Astronomy,  the  study  of,  42 

Asuncion,  Paraguay,  137 

Atlantic  City,  351 

Attitude  of  South  Americans  to 
North  Americans,  362 

Australia,  flora  of,  155 

Australian  shipmate,  98 

Automobiles.  106 

Avebury,  Lord,  11 

Avenida  Beira-Mar,  Rio  de  Jan- 
eiro, 69,  316;  de  Mayo,  Buenos 
Aires,  103,  104,  287,  294 

Avocado-pears,  317 

Azoic  rocks,  4 

B 

"Back  to  the  soil,"  143 

Bade.  Dr.,  166 

Baedeker,  125 

Baggage  lost,  16 

Bag-worm     (CEketicus    platensis), 

229 
Bahia,  17,  29, 31, 37,  43-56, 60,  81. 

317;  churches,  50-51;  forts  at, 

43;  parks,  48 
Bamboo,  62,  318,  329 
Bananas,  45,  87,  304 
Banquet  at  Jockey  Club,  Buenos 

Aires,  287:  at  La  Plata,  255 
Barbados,  336-343 
Barrancas  at  Mar  del  Plata,  196 
Basques,  137,  357 


Bates,  H.  W.,  73,  325 

Bathing  on  deck,  18 

Bath-room,  273 

Beach  at  Mar  del  Plata,  196 

Beagle,  the  Voyage  of  H.  M.  S., 
116,  207 

Beans,  frijoles,  189 

*■  Beast,  mysterious,"  222 

Beauharnais,  Alexandre,  Vicomte 
de,  345.  349 

Bed-straw,  227 

Bees,  182,  308 

Beetles,  63,  74,  234 

Belenopterus  cayennensis,  194 

Belgian  hares,  149 

Belgrano,  167,  261 

"  Bellasombra-tree, "  228 

Bell-bird,  75 

Berbers,  357,  358,  359 

Berg,  Dr.  Carlos,  209,  245 

Beta  Centauri,  33 

Bethlehem  Steel  Company,  foun- 
der of,  342;  vice-president  of, 
301 

Bichos,  293 

Biddies,  the,  2 

Bienteveo,  63,  64 

Billiards,  98 

Birds,  62,  64,  75;  at  sea,  29;  in 
Museum,  La  Plata,  117;  whole- 
sale destruction  of,  309,  341 

Bird-voices,  230 

"Black  Belt"  of  Brazil,  46 

Bleaching  bones  in  Museum  at  La 
Plata,  116 

Blixen,  Senor  Don  Carlos,  300 

Blue  sky  of  Argentina,  147 

Boa-constrictors,  157 

Bocas  de  Dragos,  Las,  334 

Bolborhynchus  monachus,  178 

Bolivar,  "the  Liberator,"  141 

Bolivia,  283,  362 

Bombax  ceiba,  339 

Bombay-wallas,  330 

Bombilla,  use  of,  190 

Bonpland,  Aim^,  244,  325 

Botanical  Garden,  Buenos  Aires, 
155;  Rio  de  Janeiro,  67;  Trini- 
dad, 328 

Boundary  dispute  between  Argen- 
tina and  Chili,  114 

Braganza,  the  House  of,  309 

Brain,  the,  vs.  the  stomach,  v 

Brazil,  National  holiday  of,  59; 
"Greater  Portugal,"  78 


Index 


375 


Brazil  wcKxi.  54 

Bn-adfruit.  47.  .^40 

BriilKfti>wn,  B;irl>aiit>s,  336 

Bri.lnf-wliist.  88.  351 

British  Guiana,  321 

Hritish  Museum,  Trustees  of,  q,  i  i 

Bromelias,  326 

Bronchos,  154 

Brown,  Bamum,  340 

Bruch,  Dr.  Carlos,  117,  234,  256 

Br>ant,  W.  t  ..  quotttl,  27,  68 

Buccaneers,  the,  344 

Uuenos  Aires:  Agricultural  Mu- 
seum, 150,  153;  arrival  in.  H)i; 
auti>mobiles,  164;  Avenida  Al- 
vear,  163;  Avenida  de  Mayo, 
161,  163:  Botanical  Garden,  147, 
155;  Capitol,  loi,  286;  cattle- 
show,  150-155:  cemeteries,  286; 
ciirruitc,  qi ;  Colon  Theatre,  162: 
docks,  100;  hut  in  suburbs,  162; 
Jockey  Club,  2i)o;  milkman,  161  ; 
millionaires,  143;  mounted  \y>- 
lice.  164;  Nluscum,  208,  24.4; 
origin  of  name,  91;  Presidential 
Mansion,  loi:  parks,  162;  Pla/a 
Hotel,  150:  Plaza  S;in  Martin. 
loi,  150:  slums,  144;  Socie<lad 
Rural  Argentina,  150;  streets, 
105,  161;  taken  by  British,  29<): 
taxicabs,  164:  unifonns,  164: 
University,  265;  Zodlogical  (lar 
lien,  156 

Bufalini,  Francesca  Tarina, 
quote<l.  108 

Bufo  anuTicanus.  175 

Bumble-ln-es,  73 

Bunneister.  Dr.  Karl  Hermann 
Conrad,  200,  207,  2oy,  245,  325 

num)winK-'>wl  {Speotyto  cuntcu- 
lana),  195,  284 

Butterflies,  ^2.  50,  62,  67,  73,  88, 
177.  182,  185,  234,  276,  280, 
293.  3«4.  327,  328 


C 


Cabbn?"  '--'•■v  ^5 
Cabot.  ■:.  90,  136 

Cabr&l.  '•arcz,  53,  54 

Cacao  ( Tkeohroma  ctuao),  327, 353 
Cacao-pod,  327 
Cactca  of  Guarina,  the,  362 
Cacti.  Riant,  283 
Cadiz,  merchants  of,  139 


Ca-sar,  257 

Calden»n,  F*".  Garcia,  cjuotcd,  358, 

359 
Caldo  da  cana,  316 
CnUtlhea,  2^)^ 
Ciimels,  tnie,  originated  in  North 

America,  157 
"Camp,"  the,  in  Argentina,  237 
Cam[X),  237 
Cannas,  72 
Canopus,  36 
Ca|x.'- Pigeons,  29 
Cajx-  St.  RiKjue,  17,  54,  56,  319 
Capetown,  South  Africa,  128 
Cape  Verde  Islands,  negru  from, 

Capricorn,  Tropic  of,  39 
Ca.primulg.ida,  331 
Captain  of  S.  S.  Vasari,  33,  58,  79 
Captain  of  S.  S.  IVs/ru,  300,  314, 

321.330.  34<».  348,  350 
Carabid  beetles,  203 
Caracara,  284 

Carancho  (Polyborus  Iharus),  284 
Carapace  of  Glyptinlon  utilizwl  as 

a  bathtub,  204 
Cardinal  Finch,  173 
CardcKm     {Cvnara     cardunculus), 

-?5 
Cariblx-'an  Sea,  334 
Cariblxx^s,  335-6 
Caricature  from  Caras  y  Car  etas, 

364 

Carnegie,  Andrew,  i,  7-<;,  11-13. 
15,  252,  253,  254.  259,  289 

Carpathia,  S.  S.,  333 

Carpincho  {Ilydrocharus  <af>y- 
bara),  180 

Carryl,  C".  E.,  quoted,  2<>o 

Carthaginians,  358,  359 

"Casa  Historica, "  274,  275 

Cassava-meal,  340 

Casuarina.  228 

Cathednil,  Bahi;i,  44:  European, 
51;  I^  Plata,  IW) 

Catopsilta,  sjK-cies,  327;  eubuU,  47 

I'attlc  driven  by  woman,  266;  ex- 
portation fi,  154;  native  race 
of.  116 

Cattle-herders,  cuisine  of,  188 

Caucasians,  355 

Cave  at  Cortsuclo,  2 1 2 

Cavendisli,  I^>rd.  218 

Cemeteries  in  Buenos  Aires,  286 

Ccnotoic  nocks,  3-4,  6 


376 


Index 


CerambycidcE,  or  "long-horn  bee- 
tles," 74 

Cetacea  in  National  Museum  at 
La  Plata,  115 

Chaco,  Territory  of,  128 

Chaja,  183 

"Chanar"-trec,  270 

Chardon  Marie,  226 

Charpentier's,  134 

Charruas,  a  tribe  of  Indians,  297 

Chaunia  chavaria,  183 

Chaves,  Senor,  124 

Chemists,  German,  at  Tucuraan, 
282 

Chickwecd,  227 

Chilenos,  360 

ChiH,  355,  370 

"Chili  pine"  {Araucaria  imbrt- 
cala),  22S 

Chocolate,  origin  of  word,  353 

Chubut,  Welsh  and  Scotch  col- 
onies in,  133 

Churches:  Bahia,  51;  of  Europe, 
51 ;  Santos,  82 

Cid,  the,  358 

Clark,  Alvan,  40 

Clemenceau,  Georges,  70 

Clouds  at  sea,  23 

Clouds  of  Magellan,  the,  34-35 

Clover,  285 

Coal,  66,  355 

"Cockpit  of  South  America,"  296 

Cockroaches,  88,  333 

Cocoa,  327 

Coco-palms,  318 

Coffea  arabica,  84;  liberica,  84 

Coffee,  65;  cultivation,  86;  intro- 
duction into  Brazil,  85:  loadinjr, 
at  Santos,  83;  origin  of  its  use, 
84 

Coggeshall,  Arthur  S.,  vi,  5,  8,  10, 
13,  248,  250,  259 

Coleoptera,  185,  234 

Colias,  327 

Collecting  land-shells,  233 

Colliau,  r^Irs.,  124 

Colomb,  family  name  of  mother  of 
Humboldt,  324 

Colonia,  Portuguese  in,  139,  297 

Colonization  of  Sao  Paulo,  81;  of 
Argentina,  137;  of  Uruguay,  297 

Colors,  changeable,  of  the  ocean, 
22 

Columbus,  Christopher,  322,  323, 
325 


Commencement  exercises  of  the 
University  of  La  Plata,  122 

Congress,  first  Pan-American,  253 

Conium  manilalum,  227 

Constant,  Baron  d  'Estoumelles 
dc,  12 

Constellations,  southern,  40 

Convent  of  St.  Catharine,  near 
Sinai,  84 

Convict  labor  in  La  Plata,  243 

Coolies,  83,  330 

Coolie-town.  Port  of  Spain,  330 

Cope,  Professor  E.  D.,  210 

Copper,  354 

Coral-reefs,  318,  350 

Corals,  4 

Corcovado,  58,  60,  75-76,  314 

Cordilleras,  259,  277 

Cdrdoba,  130,  138 

Cordoba  Durchmustertmg,  112 

Cormorants,  30,  172,  262 

Corn,  traded  for  culture,  v;  plant- 
ing, 237 

Cornell   University,   graduate  of, 

83 

Cosmos  Club,  Washington,  104 

Cost  of  living  increased  by  de- 
struction of  balance  of  nature, 
310 

Cote  d'Or  Express,  188 

Country  store,  in  swamp,  175: 
typical,  182 

Cowboys,  238 

Cowper  quoted,  367 

Creoles,  299 

Crested  screamer  {Chaunia  cha- 
varia), 183,  184 

Crops,  rotation  of, 238;  transporta- 
tion, 2;^9 

"  Crossing  of  the  line,"  20 

Crux  auslralis,  34 

Cuba,  340 

Cuckoos,  231 

Custard-apple  (Anofia  reticulata), 

317.339 
Customs  officer  at  Buenos  Aires, 

102 
Cynara  cardunculus,  225 


D 


Daily  Express,  of  London,  219 
Daption  capense,  29 
"  Darkest  Africa, "  46 
Darwin,  Charles,  116,  207,  325 


Index 


^77 


ditruini,  Rhea,  14Q 

Davis,   Ur    Walter  G.,   131,    i;,J. 

Davis  Island  Dam,  99 
IX'lx'nedctti,  Scrtor,  102 
IXvlaration  of  Independence,  275 
IXt'ps,  great,  in  Caribbean  Sea, 

I>e  Garay,  Juan,  137 

IX-lU  of  the  Tarand,  166,  iM,  186 

IX-mocnuy,  ideals  of  a  tnio,  122 

Derby,  Dr.  Dr\ille  A.,  65,  ^>8 

Derahavin,  f] noted,  33 

Dr  Solis,  Juan  Diaz,  136 

D'Kstoumelles    de    Constant, 

Ban)n,  12 
Devil-fish,  330,  335 
iX'Votion  to  the  "mother  aiuii- 

tr>-,"  97 
"  Diablotin, "'  name  of  SUalornts, 

Diamond  Roek,  344 

Dictator  Francia,  245 

Didonis  biblis,  327 

Difficulty,  linguistic,  240 

Dikes  l»cing  built  in  delta  of  llic 
Parand,  186 

Dining-car,  187 

Dininjj  in  commons  at  University 
of  I>a  Plata,  121 

Dinner  scrveti  on  express,  iHA 

Dinosaurs,  5 

Diplodocus,  1-15,  118,  148-159, 
249.  250,  256 

Diplomatic  stroke,  312 

Diprotodon,  180 

Diptera,  185,  234 

Disease,  of  fishes,  99,  178;  tropi- 
cal. 3S5 

Diving  for  coins,  339 

Dolxy,  Leonard,  343 

Dctdicurus     cUmcaudaius     Owen, 

Dog  discovers  meteorite,  38 

Dog-star.  38 

"Cfcini}"  a  city,  93 

Dominica,  348 

Dominico,   small    variety   of    l>a- 

nana.  87 
Dom  Pedro  I.  307 
Dom  Pedro  II.  65,  308 
"  IXin  Samuel,"  255 
CXorado,  a  species  of  fisJi,  178 
D'Drbigny,  325 
Dorth.  Jan  van.  55 


Dounur.  Mons.  Paul,  12 
Dragonflies.  73 
Dnigon's  Nloulhs,  334 
Drilling  of  troops.  242 
Dr>-farming  in  Argentina,  133 
Dutch,  the,  43,  55,  56,  78 
Dynaslrs  hercuUs,  78 
Dynastida,  75 


B 


Eagles,  159 

Karthcjuakcs,  336 

Kast  Indians  in  Trinidad,  330 

Elx'rhard,  Cajjtain,  212 

Ellipse  Klxpedition  to  Brazil,  286 

luuador,  370 

Education,  compulsory  in  Argen- 
tina, 140 

Edward  VII.,  King  of  England,  8, 
114 

Ek>;s,  Uilerably  fresh,  v 

Eigininann,  Dr.  C.  H.,  339 

FJaler  noctiltuus,  267 

El  Tiga-,  185,  261 

El  Tmnador,  .Argentina.  115 

Emperor  Charles  V,  136 

Em^K-ror  of  Austria,  253 

Empress  Josephine,  245,  345,  349 

English,  deer,  149;  newsjKiper, 
263,    occupation    of    Trinidad, 

Ensenada,  28,  loo,  225 

Entomology'.  62 

Enlre  Rios.  Argentina.  130 

Eozoic  rocks.  4 

Epiphytes.  179,  278,  326 

Epps'  Cocoa,  182 

E<iuality,  human,  356 

Erfua  anifla,  177:  sinuns,  178 

Kryngium,  185 

Ervthrina    crisla-zaUi.    169,     174. 

^63 
Eucalyptus,  iio,  120,  156,  227 
Eudarmonta  srmiramis,  73 
lCi:i:(5nie,  ex-Empress,  300 
Europ)ean  fennel,  225;  grasses,  227; 

wei'ds,  22.S 
F.uxrnura  maaauri,  193 
Everglade  Kite.  233 
Evolution,    2:    of   institutioas   in 

Argentina.  141 
Ex^iress  trains.  188,  26I 
Extinction  of  wild  life,  309 


378 


Index 


Faculty  of  University  of  Buenos 
Aires,  287;  of  University  of  La 
Plata,  242,  287;  of  National 
Museum,  La  Plata,  255 

Falli^res,  President,  13 

Farmers,  144 

F"armer,  small,  in  Argentina,  239 

Farrington,  O.  C".,  38 

Fauna  (mammalian)  of  Antilles, 
340;  of  South  America,  204,  353 

Fennel,  Euro]K-an,  225 

Fernandez.,  vScnor  Miguel,  102 

Ferns,  71,  303  {see  Tree-ferns) 

Ferrocarril  del  Sud,  103 

"Fiddles,"  18 

Fields,  261 

Finback  whales,  28 

Fire-arms,  merchant  of,  25 

Fire-flies,  267,  312 

First-class  passengers,  19 

First  Pan-American  Congress,  253 

Fishermen,  318 

Fishes,  30,  49 ;  disease  of,  99,  178 

Fish-markets,  339 

Flat  lands,  attractive  features, 
223;  vegetation  of,  224 

Flax,  264,  285 

Flocks  of  sheep,  262 

Flora,  of  Argentina,  155;  of  Aus- 
tralia, 155;  of   South   America, 

,352 

Flower,  Sir  William  H.,  115 

Flying-fishes,  30,  31,  339 

Fog,  adored,  147;  on  mountains, 

277,  304 

P'ood -supplies  in  Argentina,  189 

Foot-and-mouth  disease,  155 

Forest  reservations,  271 

Forests,  thorny,  272;  tropical,  71 

Fossil  mammals,  119;  horse,  210; 
"potatoes,"  198 

F"ossils  from  Brazil,  209 

Francia,  Dictator,  245 

Francis  Joseph,  Emperor  of  Aus- 
tria, 13 

Freesias,  no 

Fr6miet,  Emmanuel,  11 

French  Guiana,  320 

French  influence  in  South  America, 
368 

French  Revolution,  140 

French  in  Trinidad,  329 

Fresh-water  snails,  233 


Kriedrich  Leopold,  Graf  Stolberg, 

quoted,  16 
F"ruit  imported  from  Europe,  189 
Fuel,  53,  66,  169 
Furnarius  rufus,  279 


G 


Gallardo,  Dr.  Angel,  244 
Garden-truck,  poems  in  exchange 

for,  v 
Garden,  in  swamp,  181 
Garrett,  Hon.  John  W.,  134,  150, 

242,  252,  258 
Gas-well  in  delta  of  Parand,  167, 

177 
Gaviotas,  172 
Geologic  ages,  3,4 
Geological  Society  of  America,  i, 

2 
Georgetown,  British  Guiana,  321 
German  Emperor,  12,  13 
"German  peril,"  366,  367 
Giant  cacti,  270 
Gibraltar,  316 
Ginger,  340 
Glyptodon,  199,  203;  carapace  of, 

utilized  as  a  bathtub,  204 
Gnecco,  Seiior,  182,  185 
Goats,  84 
Goatsuckers,  331 
Goethe,  quoted,  166 
Golden  apples,  340 
Golfo  del  Diabolo,  293 
Gonzalez,  Dr.  Joaquin  V.,  Presi- 
dent of  University  of  La  Plata, 

123,  288 
Gould,  Dr.  Benjamin  A.,  in 
G  our  Ilea  dccorticans,  270 
Grain  elevators  at  Buenos  Aires, 

loi ;  San  Nicolas,  265 
Granada,  52 
Grasses,  European,  227 
Grasshoppers,  swarm  of,  279 
Greece,  356 
Green,    brilliant    display    of,    at 

Trinidad,  322 
Ground-sloths,  206 
Grypotherium,  213-220 
Guacharo    {Stealornis    steatornis), 

331 
Guachos,  238 
Guadeloupe,  348 
Guanaco,  149 
Guaruja,  80 


Ineiex 


379 


Guiana    (British),   331;    (Dutch), 
coffee  intrtxiuced,  85;  (French), 

Guira  (Uuira  Ruira)  231:  dostn^y- 

ing  locusts,  ^"jg 
Gulf  of  Paria.  ^^34 
Gulf  Stream.  17.  3q,  322 
Gulls  {Larus  maculipcnnis),  ij2 


n 


Hadjis,  85 

Hamilton,  Alexander,  123,  341^ 

HanniUiI,  357 

Harbor  of  Rio  Janeiro,  58 

Harte,  Bret,  quoted.  211 

Haseman,  John  1).,  65 

Hatcher,  John  Bell,  8,  10,  192,  207. 

220.  242 
Haumann-Merck,     Professor    Lu- 

cien,  166,  170 
Hauthal,   Dr.   Rodolfo,  213,  219. 

320 
Hawks,  49,  23 1 ,  284 
Hawk-moth,  r^2 
Heilprin,  Anj;e!o,  346 
Hcinz's  Tomato  Catsup,  182 
Hemlock     (Conium     maculalunn, 

227 
Herculaneum.  336 
Hercules  Beetle,  75 
Herons,  172 
Hcrrero-Ducloux,     Dr.     Ernesto, 

102,  118,  1 19.  224 
HerrinRS,  49 
He^n,     Piet,     "the     Dutch     Sir 

Prancis  Pr.ike, "  55 
Hippodrorn*-,  167 
H.  M.  S.  Beaglr,  207 
Holctown.  Barlxidos.  337,  338 
Holland,  States  General  of,  56 
Honduras,  335 
Honeysurkle,  Japanese,  171 
Hope,  Laurence,  quoted.  187 
Horrwm,  280:  nest  of,  284 
H  '   :>   of    young    woman 

•tic,  266 
H..i...  u^ 
Hospital,  Italian,  in  Montevideo, 

96 
Hotel,   Bahia,   50;   Buenos  Aires. 

loi,    150.   163;    La  Plata.   125, 

255;   Mar  del  Plata,  195:  Rio.!.- 

Janeiro,  60,  62,  65:  TucumAn. 

-'73.  ^74 


Houses,  in  Bahia,  44;  Barbados, 
338.  341;  Montevideo.  95;  on 
piles,  168;  Sal>a,  350;  Trinidad, 

Howling  Monkey  (Alouatta   insu- 
la nus),  340 
Hudson,  llendrik,  78 
Hudson,  W.  H.,  quoted,  172,  178, 

««3.  193.  232 
Hugo,  Victor,  79 
Huguenots,  77 
Humlxildt,    Alexander   von,   244, 

324.331.  3<^>2 
Humming-birds,     wantonly      de- 

stroyeiT,  310 
Hunter,  Sir  John,  25 
Huntley    and    Palmer's    Biscuits, 

182 
Hurricane  at  Trinidad,  326 
Hussey,  Dr.  W.  J.,  102,  no,  286, 

296 
Ifydrochcerus  rapybara,  180 
Hymenoptera,  73,  185,  234 


I 


Ux'rian  Americans,  360 

llx^rians,  357,  358,  360 

Ibis,  White-faced,  193 

Icelx'rgs,  89 

Ichthyosaurus,  i 

Igneous  HK-ks.  4 

Iguassii.  Falls  of.  292 

Ilrx  paraguayensts,  189 

Imj)crial  .Academy  of  Sciences,  St. 
Petersburg,  14 

Inde{x;ndenie  Day  in  Brazil,  59 

Independence,  Declaration  of,  275 

Indians,  of  the  pamj)as,  114: 
Qucrendi,  137;  IxxDme  horse- 
men, 154;  of  Tucumin,  282; 
C'harrua,  296 

Insect  architecture,  309;  plagues, 

355 

Insects,  scarce  in  October,  234 

Institutions,  evolution  of,  in  Argen- 
tina, 141 

IntcrmarriagCof  races,  359,  361 

Iron.  354 

Irrigation.  133.  272 

Isla  Sancta,  the  first  name  of 
America.  32^ 

Island  of  the  T  nie  CroRs.  54 

Isle  of  Pines.  310 

Italian  Hi>spiLal,  Montevideo,  96 


38o 


Index 


Italians,  97 
Ithomia,  73 


J 


Jackfruit,  47 

Jacksonville,  Florida,  129 

Jack-tree,  48 

Jaguars,    156,    221;   jaguar-skins, 

287 
Jamaica,  341 
Japanese,  83 
"Japanese  peril,"  367 
Java,  coffee  introduced  into,  85 
Jebel  Mousa,  84 
Jelly-fishes,  32 
Jerked  beef,  154 
"Jersey  lightning,"  23 
Jesuits,  61,  8 1 
Jockey  Club,  Buenos  Aires,  258, 

288,  290 
John  VI.,  King  of  Portugal,  78 
Jones,  Sir  William,  paraphrase  of 

Alcaeus,  146 
Jordan,  Dr.  D.  Starr,  339 
Josephine,  Empress,  245,  345,  349 
Jujuy,  283 
Junot,  Marshal,  78 
Jupiter,  the  planet,  36 
Jurassic  rocks,  6 


Kaiser  Willielm  II.,  13 
Keats,  quoted,  41 
Kew,  palm-house  at,  77 
Kibitz,  194 
King-bird,  262,  263 
King  Edward  VII.,  114 
King  Naaman,  273 
Kite,  Everglade,  233 
Knight,  Charles  R.,  256 


La  Banda,  272 

Labor,  price  of,  144 

Laborers,  Italian,  271 

Laborers,  on  wharves  at  Santos, 

83 
Lace,  Paraguayan,  287 
Lacroix,  Mons.  Alfred,  346 
Lady,     young,     extricated     from 

trouble,  268 


Lafone-Quevedo,  Dr.  Samuel  A., 
118,  254 

Lagostomus  trichodactylus,  1 94 

Lake-region  of  Argentina,  115,  131 

Lampyrids,  267 

Land-bridge,  connecting  North 
America  with  Asia,  205;  con- 
necting South  America  with 
Africa,  206 

"Land  of  manana, "  83,  295 

Land,  price  of,  145 

Land-shells,  collecting,  233 

Langustos,  279 

Lankester,  Sir  Edwin  Ray,  10, 
219 

La  Plata,  102,  103,  106,  108-127, 
223-247,  285;  art-gallerj',  119; 
canal,  108;  grass  in  streets  of, 
109, 120;  National  Museum,  1 13, 
114,  208;  National  University, 
103,  258;  Observatory,  no,  113; 
Railway  Terminal,  106;  real 
estate,  120;  Zoological  Garden, 

113 
Larcom,  Lucy,  quoted,  223 
Lams  macuHpennis,   172 
Lasiopyga  callitrichus,  340 
Latin  America,  357 
Latin  culture,  368 
Latin  races,  357 
"Leaf-cutting  ants,"  235 
Lehmann-Nitsche,     Dr.     Robert, 

118,  221 
Lemons,  169 

Level  lands,  130,  233,  266 
Licensed  porter,  295 
Life  on  shipboard,  18,  317 
Lighthouse,  318,  321,  351 
Link,  G.  A.,  340 
Lipton's  teas,  182 
Lisbon,  44 
Lista,  Ramon,  214 
Literary  wares,  v 
Liverworts,  327 
Living,  cost  of,  in  South  America, 

144 
Living  things  in  the  waters,  27-32 
Llamas,  149 
Lobos  Island,  91 
Locust,  Rocky  Mountain,  279 
Locust-tree  {Robinia  pseudacacia), 

229 
Lonnberg,  Dr.,  212 
Loess,  material  of  Pampean  be<it;, 

197;  thickness,  198 


Index 


3H1 


I-tJt-ss-kindl,  19* 

lx»ewenfeld,  General  von,  12,  1.^ 

London,  76 

Longfellow,    Henr>'    VV.,    quoted, 

lorentzii,  Schtnopsti,  270 
Lutra  Jelina,  22\ 

M 

McKenzie  College,  Sao  Paulo,  .^i  1 

Mackerel,  Spanish,  31,  ^y) 

Xfacrauchenia  patachonica,  Owen, 
J08,  209 

Macrofms  lon^imanus,  75 

Madonnas  in  churches  at  Tucu- 
inin, 277 

Magellan,  136:  Clouds  of,  34,  3,s: 
Strait  of,  212.  291 

Maguari  stork  {  Eu  x  r  n  u  r  a 
mai^uah),  192 

Mahoyany-trce  iSwietmia),  339 

Maize,  285,  352 

Makiria,  356 

Maldonado,  <x>,  298 

Mammalian  fauna.  South  Amer- 
ican, 204;  of  Antilles,  340 

Mammals,  4;  Age  of,  4:  in  nation- 
al Museum  at  I^  Plata,  117, 
204,  340 

'■  Mammifero  misterioso,"  218 

Man,  Age  of,  4 

Mafiana,  the  land  of,  83,  295 

Mangrove-swami)S,  302 

Man  in  the  moon,  39 

Manners  and  customs  of  South 
American  peoples,  68 

Man-o'-war  birds,  331 

Mar  del  Plata,  187-210 

Market- plates,  51,  339 

Marsh,  Othniel  C,  6-8. 

Marsh-gas,  177 

Martinique,  344-347 

Mastodon,  210 

Mat^.  189 

Mat<^-gounls,  190,  287 

Mateina,  I91 

Meals  on  express-trains,  188 

Medusa?,  ^2 

Megathenum,  199,  201,  214,  2i>. 

322 

Meiia,  Scflor  Ramos.  134.  135,  271 
.\ffianoplus  %pretus,  279 
\fetastom(Uf<T,  71 
Melta  asfdaraih,  228 


Mem  ila  Sa,  77 

Mendoiui,  Pedro  de,  91,  130,  138 

Mcndoza,  vineyards  and  orchards 

Menu  of  Itanquet  at  La  Plata,  256 
Merchant  of  firearms,  126 
Mesozoic  rocks,  3-4,  6 
Metals,  354 
Motiili's,    Indian   mealing   stones, 

353 
Meteorites,  36-39;  Saline  Town- 
ship, 38;  man   kille<l  at    Mh<>\v 

ijy.  39 

Mettvrs,  36-38 

Mexico.  359 

Migration  of  animals  from  differ- 
ent continents,  206 

Mihanovitch,  Miguel,  163 

Milk  {X-'ddling  in  Buenos  Aires, 
161 

"Milk  Thistle"  {Siiybum  mart 
anum),  226 

Milk-y  Way,  34 

Millennium,  the,  371 

Milton,  John,  quoted,  89 

Milvultis  tyrannus,  262 

Mimos;i,  47 

Mineral  resources  of  South  Amer- 

'tii.  354 

Mirages,  264 

Moeller,  Theodor  von,  12 

Money,  Brazilian.  45;  Uruguay- 
an, 94. 

Mongoose,  341 

"  Monkey-puzzle, "  226 

Monkeys,  African,  introduced  in- 
to the  West  Indies,  340;  Ixx-om- 
ing  extinct   in   South   Amerita, 

309 

Monroe  Dot  trine,  367 
Monroe  Palace,  Rio  de  Janeiro,  69 
Montevideo:  AveniiLi  18  de  Julio. 
95;  bri-akwaters,  92;  captured 
by  English.  299;  ("apurro,  92: 
Cathedral,  95;  Ccrro,  91;  City 
Hall,  95:  domestic  architecture, 
95;  first  settl  ment,  298;  French 
imm'c  '•'■  ^t'!  Italian  n-sidcnls. 
96;    "  Library.   95:   ne- 

gn>  "i,  «>4;    Palacio 

d«-C'f  •iM<fi»<>,95;  Parqtie  Urliano. 
92;  Ptaya  Ramirez,  92:  Ploxas, 
95;  Pocitns,  92;  pf)pulalion, 
93;  theaters,  98;  University, 
95 


3^2 


Index 


Montgomery,  James,  quoted,  334; 
father  of,  342 

Montgomery,  John,  342 

Montserrat,  349 

Monuments,  70 

Moon,  the,  devoid  of  water  and 
air,  26;  volcanoes  of,  26 

Moravian  Missions  in  the  West 
Indies,  343 

Moreno,  Dr.  Francisco  P.,  113, 
134,  212,  214 

Morphos,  62,  72,  293 

Mosquito,  cause  of  yellow  fever, 
80 

Mosses,  303 

Moths,  63,  64,  73,  234;  mimicking 
bees  and  wasps,  73 

Motor-boat  trip  from  Trinidad 
to  Florida,  335 

Mourning,  black  garments  of 
women  in  South  America,  165 

Municipal  Theatre,  Sao  Paulo,  310 

Musa  sapientiiim,  paradisiaca,  S7 

Museums:  Agricultural,  Buenos 
Aires,  150,  153;  American,  of 
Natural  History,  New  York, 
340;  Buenos  Aires  (National) 
208,  224;  British  (Natural  His- 
tory), 11-12;  Carnegie,  Pitts- 
burgh, 7,  12;  d'Histoire  Natur- 
elle,  Paris,  11,  13;  Field  (Na- 
tural History),  Chicago,  38; 
Geological,  Rio  de  Janeiro,  65; 
Imperial,  St.  Petersburg,  249; 
Imperial,  Vienna,  13;  Italian,  of 
Paleontology,  Bologna,  13;  Na- 
tional, La  Plata,  14,  113,  114, 
208;  Paulista,  Sao  Paulo,  305- 
311;  Royal,  of  Berlin,  13 

"Mush"  or  "hasty  pudding," 
standard  dish  in  Argentina,  189 

Mussel-shells,  232 

Mylodon,  199,  201,  214,  215,  222 

Mylodon  rohustus  Owen,  200 

"Mysterious  Beast,"  222 


N 


Naaman,  King,  273 

Nahuel-Huapi,  Lake,  131,  134 

Nails  turned  into  iron  pyrites,  346 

Napoleon,  244,  345 

Napoleon  III.,  345 

National  Museum  at  La  Plata,  208 

Negri,  Signor,  147,  225 


Negro  attendant  in  Botanical 
Garden,  Trinidad,  328 

Negroes,  46,  53,  83,  94,  313,  330, 
337. 338 

Nelson,  Dr.  Ernesto,  120;  Madam 
Nelson,  121 

Nelson,  Horatio,  344,  349 

Neomylodon  listai,  214,  216,  220 

Neptune,  21 

Nest  of  Oven-bird,  279 

Nevis,  340,  349 

Newport,  the,  of  Argentina,  195 

Newspapers,  reporters  of,  in  Buenos 
Aires,  218 

"  New  York  Yankee,"  20 

Niata  race  of  cattle,  116 

Night-clothes  vs.  evening  dress, 
241 

Nisbet,  Fanny,  wife  of  Lord  Nel- 
son, 349 

Nombre-de-Dios,  138 

Nordenskjold,  Dr.  Otto,  212 

Norfolk  pine  {Araucaria  excelsa), 
228 

North  America,  true  camels  orig- 
inated in,  157 

Nudity,  juvenile,  53 

Nutria  {Myopotamus  coypus),  168 


O 


Observatory,    C6rdoba,    1 1 1 :    La 

Plata,  no,  113,  225 
Ocean,  changeable  colors  of,  22; 

mother  of  life,  25;  origin,  24 
Ojeda,  Alonso  de,  324 
Onelli,  Dr.  Clemente,  156 
Opera  House,  Rio  de  Janeiro,  69 
Opossums,  206 
Oranges,   317;   orange-trees,    169, 

182 
Orchids,  61,  71,  179,  326,  328 
Oreodoxa  regia,  47 
Organ  mountains,  76 
Orient  expresses,  188 
Orinoco,  320 
Orion,  39 

Ortmann,  Dr.  Arnold  E.,  232 
Osborn,  Henry  F.,  7 
Ostrich,  South  American,  148 
Otter,  South  American,  221 
Oven-bird,  nest  of,  279 
Owen,  Sir  Richard,  5,  207 
Owls,  107,  195,  331 


Index 


3,^3 


Packing-houses   at    San    Nicolas, 

265 
Pulcolama,  199 
Paleozoic  rocks,  3-4 
Palms,  47,57,58.61,284,304,313. 

3«8.  i^H 
"  Pampa,"  origin  of  word,  130 
PamjKi,  Tcrritiiry  of,  130 
Pamelas,  the,  224,  267 
Pampoan  beds.  197,  199,  202 
Painpcms,  91 

Panama  Canal,  342,  369,  370 
Pan-American  Congress,  253 
I'm^iw  (Asimina  tnloba),  327 
Paraguay,  137,  299 
Parand,  delta  of  the,  166-180 
Pardo,  Felipe,  quoted,  352 
Paria,  334:  Gulf  of,  323 
Park-like  lands,  Argentina,  130 
Paroaria  cucullata,  173 
Parrakects,  green,  178 
Parrots     being     exterminated    in 

CuIki,  341 
Paulistas,  the,  81 
Peaches,  168 
iVar-trees,  182 
Peccary,  fossil,  34 1 
Pe<lro  I.,  IX)m,  308;  II.,  Dom,  65, 

309 

Pcl&,  Mt.,  346 

Pelicans,  brown.  331 

Pfrta.  Pri*sident.  i,  254 

Peninsula,  the  Spanish,  358 

Pennalula,  31 

Peoplt-s  "lifferentiateil  in  South 
America,  360 

Pepsii,  a  gri-at  wasp,  73 

"Perils":  Yankee,  365,  367;  Ger- 
man, 366,  367:  Jaftanese,  367 

Pemambuco,  318,  319 

Perrinc,  Charles  I).,  in 

Peru,  359,  370;  conquest  of,  137 

Petrel,  29,  333 

Petroleum,  cans  of,  182 

Philodrndron,  327 

Phrenicians,  358 

Phosphorescence  at  sea,  32 

Photography,  its  astronomical 
uses,  41 

Physalia,  31 

Phytolacca  ditnca.  228 

Pilot  at  Sontos.  79 

Pinta,  284 


Pinron,  54 

Pilangus  botivianus,  63 

Pizarro,  137 

Plague-ships,  80 

Plantains.  65,  87,  88 

Plants,  introduced  sjK-cies  of,  22<) 

Playa  Ramirez,  92 

Plaza  Constituci6n,  Montevidef>, 
95;  Buenos  Aires,  103;  Inde- 
pemlencia,  Montevideo,  95;  Tu- 
cumdn,  274;  Lii>ertail,  Nlonte- 
video,  95;  San  Martin,  Buenos 
Aires,  150 

Ple^adis  guarauna,  193 

Pleistocene  formation,  202 

Plover,  Argentine,  144,  265;  Gol- 
den, 309 

Plowmen,  cuisine  of,  188 

Pocitos,  97 

Poems  in  exchange  for  garden - 
truck,  V 

Poinsettia,  <>i 

Pole-star,  33 

Police.  Buenos  .Aires,  164 

Politician,  Argentino,  136 

PolyboTUS  tliarus,  284 

Pompanos,  339 

Population,  of  Argentina,  121; 
of  Barl)ados,  338;  of  Tucimidn, 
282 

Porp<iises,  27,  335 

Portenos,  237 

Port  of  SjKiin,  319,  321,  322,  334 

Portugal,  78       ' 

Portuguese,  53,  139,  297,  357 

Portuguese  man-o'-war,  31 

Potato,  352 

Potato- races,  19 

Pottery,  picc^  of,  in  Middle 
Pampcan  Ix-ds,  200,  201 

Prairie-<log   (Arctomys),   195 

"  Pr;iirie-schooners, "  239 

Pri-sentation  of  l)iplo<lorus  to  the 
British  Musi-um,  1 1 ;  to  Impe- 
rial Academy  of  S<iences.  St. 
Petersburg,  14;  to  Imperial  Mu- 
seum in  Vienna,  13;  to  Mus<^ 
d'Histoire  Naturrlle,  Paris,  13: 
to  Museum 'in  Bologna,  Italy, 
13;  to  National  Museum.  I.a 
Plata,  14,  248-259 

Prisnicnt  "I  1-" ranee,  253 

President  Perta,  I,  253 

Presidential  election.  Nov.  5. 
1912.320 


3^4 


Index 


Prichard,  Hesketh,  219 
"  Pride-of -India, "  the,  228 
Princeton  University,  207 
Prosopis  alba,  270 
Province  of  Tucumdn,  281 
Pseudolestodon,  215 
Puchero,  favorite  dish  in  Spanish- 
speaking  lands,  189 
Puerto  Rico,  335 
Pulmonary  disease,  282 
Punta  Arenas,  133 
Purser,  the  jolly,  17 
Purslane,  227 
Pyrameis,  28 


Quaternary  Age,  4 

Quebracho    bianco   (Aspidosperma 

quebracho) ,2'jo;  Colorado  (Schifi- 

opsis  Lorentzii),  270 
Queen's  Hotel,  Port  of  Spain,  329 
Querendi  Indians,  137 
Quilmes,  106,  175 
Quince-jelly,  169 


R 


Race  purity  maintained,  361 
Races,    fused,    in    Spain,   358;    in 

South  America,  359 
Racing  instinct  in  animals,  28 
Racowitza,  Dr.,  212 
Ragweed,  227 
Railways,  49,  61,  66,  70,  76,  80,  95, 

96,  104,  106,  126,  135,  148,  166, 

187,  261,283,303,311,369 
Raleigh,  Sir  Walter,  344 
Ramalho,  Joao,  81 
Rambla,  the,  at  Mar  del  Plata,  196 
Ranch-houses,  264 
Read,  T.  Buchanan,  cjuoted,  43 
Red-winged  Blacktiird,  173 
Relief -map  of  Brazil,  66 
Reporters  of  newspapers  in  Buenos 

Aires,  218 
Reptiles,  fossil,  4;  Age  of,  4 
Republica  Oriental,  176 
Republicanism  in  Argentina,  140 
Rheaamericana,  148;  danvini,  i^<)\ 

on  prairies,  194 
Riachuelo,  137 

Rio  de  Janeiro,  57-78,  314-316 
Rio  de  la  Plata,  90,  99,  105,  136, 

138,  142,  149,  296,  320 


Rio  Grande  do  Sul,  89,  298 
Rivadavia,  the  first  President  of 

Argentina,  362 
River,  the,  at  Tucuman,  281 
Riverside  Drive,  69 
River-thieves,  170 
Roads  in  Argentina,  width  of,  105 
Rocky  Mountain  locust,  279 
Rome,  356 

Roosevelt,  Thcod<ire,  123,  320 
Rosario,  261,  266,  269 
Rostrhamus  sociahilis,  233 
Roth,  Dr.  Santiago,  102,  113,  166, 

176, 180, 182, 192,  195,  196,  198, 

203,  210,  220,  295 
Royal  Palm,  47,  61,  67 


Saba,  349 

Sabre-toothed  Tiger,  1 14 

Sailing-ships,  149 

St.  Eustatius,  349 

St.  Kitts,  340,  349 

St.  Lucia,  343 

St.  Petersburg,  251 

St.  Pierre,  Martinique,  346 

St.  Vincent,  343 

Salisbury,  Dr.  Rollin  D.,  134,  242 

Salix    babylonica,     169;    chilensis, 

169 
Salta,  283 

Salvelinus  fontinalis,  131 
Sancho  Panza,  315 
San  Fernando,  167,  170 
San  Gabriel,  Island  of,  137 
San  Martin,  140 
San  Nicolas,  265 
Santa  Catharina,  Province  of,  89, 

298 
Santa-Cruz,  the  great  caudillo,  362 
Santa    Cruz,    colonics    of    Boers, 

Welsh,  and  Scotch  in,  133 
Santa  F^,  Argentina,  130 
Santiago  del  Estcro,  137,  272 
&mtos,  59,  79-88 
S;Io  Paulo,  54,  80,  93,  30 1-3 11 
S;To  V^iccnte,  80 
Sapodillas,  317 
Sarmiento,    "the    Schoolmaster 

President, "  141 
Saxe,  John  G.,  quoted,  128 
Scarlet-headed  Marsh-bird,  173 
Scarlet  verbena,  283 
Scelidotherium,  200 


Index 


3^5 


Schiller.  Dr.  Walthcr,  117 
Schisloterca  paranensts,  279 
Scholarship  of  Argentina,  257 
Schwab,  Charles  M.,  343 
Scirfnis,  170 
Scissor-taileti     Fly-catcher    (Mil- 

vtdus  tyrannus),  2b2 
Scorpio,  the  Constellation,  39 
Scotch  whiskey,  175 
Scotchmen,  in  Chubut  and  Santa 

Cruz,  133;  in  Tierra  del  Fucko, 

129 
Screamer,  Crested,  184 
Seals,  29 
Sea-pens,  31 
Seed-finch   {Sycalis  luUola),  230, 

231 

Selva,  284 

Semi-arid  belt,  283 

Semi-forested  belt  near  Tucumin, 
270 

Serpent's  Mouth,  323 

Setting  sail,  17 

Setting  up  Diplodocus  in  La  Plata, 
249 

"Seventh  of  September"  in  Bra- 
zil, 59 

Sexes,  intermingling  of,  in  South 
America,  165 

Shakespeare,  quoted,  286,  316 

Shaw,  Bernard,  123 

Sheep,  133 

Sheep-rancher  from  Australia,  98 

Shepard,  Charles  Upham,  37-38 

Shepherd's  purse,  227 

Shipmasters,  early,  139 

Shops  in  Bahia,  52 

Short-horns,  152,  262 

rfeiting,  276 
'  k1  tree  {Bombax  ui- 

^>.  339 
"Silver  River,"  vi 
Silybum  martanum,  226 
Sirius,  34,  36 
Sisters,  the  Three.  323 
Sky,  the,  in  level  countries,  224 
"Sky  scraper"  in   Buenos  Aires, 

lOI 

Sleep,  its  inventor  blessed,  351 
Sleeping-car,  187.  312 
Sleepless  night  on  train,  312 
Sloths.  82.  302,  341 
Slums  of  Buenos  Aires,  14^ 
"Small  farmer"'  in  Argentina,  239 


Smugglers  on  River  Plate,  139 

Snake,  185 

Snap{)ers,  339 

Snow-fall  in  Tierra  del  Fuego,  129 

Socrates,  death  of,  227 

Soil  of  Argentina.  238 

SoUinum,  171 

Soldiery,  164 

Sombrero,  the  Spanish  Hat,  350 

Song  Book,  Geological  Society  of 

America,  quoted,  i 
"Sopa  sin  bichos. "  294 
Sour-sop  {Anona  muricata),  339 
South  American  ostrich,  148 
Southern  Cross,  the,  33-34 
Southern  heavens,  appearance  of, 

33-42.  112 
South  Kensington,  Whaleroom  at, 

115 
Souvenirs,  scarcity  of,  286 
Souza,  Martim  Affonso  da,  80 
Spain  is  African,  358 
Spaniards,  357;  in  Trinidad.  229 
Spanish  mackerel.  339 
Spanish  repression  of  trade.  138 
Sparrows,  64 

Speckled  Brook-trout,  131 
Spenser's  Faerie   Queenc,  quoted, 

302 
Speotyto  cuntcularia,  195 
Spider-webs  at  sea,  32 
Spix,  325 

Sports  on  deck,  19 
Sportsman's  Hotel,  La  Plata,  125. 

255 
Spring-plowing  in  Argentina,  237 
Spur-wmged  GiK)se,  183 
Spur-winged    Lapwing    {BeUnop- 

terus  cayenmnsis),  194 
Star  Catalogue,  1 1 1 
St.ir-.   u.  ;<),  42.  I II 

•'^.331 
.^ :  . .  larding  against  attacks 

ot,  J7ft 
"Stone  Ship,"  the,  343 
S"  .-roads,  239 

S  n,  212,  291 

Si,.     ,   ....  .    .,..;^..  68 

Street  trafhc,  164 

Streets,  51,  95,  103,  120,  161,  164, 

329 

St-!den*«;  picnicking,  240 
!^  50.316 

^  -try  of  Argentina,  281 ; 

o;  baruados,  342 


386 


Index 


Sugar-loaf     Mountain,     Rio     de 

Janeiro,  58,  316 
Sun,  total  eclipse  of,  October  loth, 

124 
Sunset  on  Parand,  1 74 ;  on  pampas, 

267 
Sutton,  S.  A.,  38 
.Swallows,  64 

Sweet-sop  {Anona  squamosa),  339 
Swietenia,  339 
Sycalis  luteola,  230 
Syphilis,  283 


Taft,  William  H.,  320 

Taking  water  on  train,  262 

Tangier,  52 

Tannin  manufacture,  270 

Tarpon, 330 

Temperature,  daily,  on  shipboard, 

320 
Territory  of  Chaco,  128;  Chubut, 

133;  Pampa,  130;  Santa  Cruz, 

133 
Tertiary,  3,  4 
T^ru-Teru,  194-263 
Thistle  Butterfly,  28 
Thistles,  227 
Thome,  Juan  M.,  iii 
Tide-rips,  335 
Tierra  del  Fuego,  129 
Tigre,  El,  167,  185,  261 
Tijuca,  58,  314 
Titanic,  S.  S.,  333 
Toads,  175 
Tobago,  336,  342 
Toluca,  Mexico,  37 
Tomato,  352 

Topography  of  Argentina,  129 
Tosca,   limy  concretion   in  loess, 

_  197 

Total  eclipse  of  the  sun,  October 

loth,  124 
Tourist,  English,  in  Tropics,  335 
Tower,  Sir  Reginald,  242 
Toxodon   hurmeisteri  Giebel,   209, 

210 
Toxodonts,  206 

Trade,  Spanish  repression  of,  138 
Trains  de  luxe,  188 
"Tramps"  of  the  vegetable  world, 

227 
Trans-Andinc   Railway,  369 


Treaty  of  Utrecht,  298;  of  San 
Ildefonso,  299 

Tree-ferns,  62,  71,  327 

Trees,  47,  49,  57,  58,  76,  303,  326, 
339;  blossoming,  72;  in  Middle 
West  of  United  States,  271; 
variety  of,  in  Tropics,  71 

Treves,  Sir  Frederick,  quoted,  322 

Trifolium  repens,  227 

Trilobites,  4 

Trinidad,  316-333 

Troops,  drilling  of,  242 

True  Cross,  Island  of  the,  54 

Tschernychew,  Director  of  Mu- 
seum in  St.  Petersburg,  252 

Tucuman,  137,  260,  269,  273;  Pro- 
vince of,  281 

Turkeys,  160,353,  354 


U 


Uballes,  Dr.  Eufemio,  288 

Umbelliferce,  171 

"Uncle  Sam,"  364 

Union  of  North  and  South  Amer- 
ica, 206 

University  of  La  Plata,  258; 
Faculty  of,  242 

Uranometria  Argentina,  1 1 1 

Uruguay,  90,  91,  94,  296-300,  355 


V 


Valdez,  285 

Values,  increase  of,  at  Santos,  80 

Vanderbilt,  the,  of  Argentina,  163 

Vanellus  cristatus,  194 

Vanilla,  353 

Vasari,  S.  S.,  16,  18 

Vegetable-markets,  340 

Vegetational  zones,  283 

VellellidcE,  31 

Venezuela,  334 

Venus  de  Milo  in  frog-pond,  369 

Verbena,  scarlet,  283 

Verbenas,  72 

Vermilion  River,  49-50 

Vermouth,  Italian,  175 

Vespucci,   Amerigo,  324;  quoted, 

64 
Vestris,  S.  S.,  294,  313 
Victor  Hugo,  quoted,  79 
Victoria  Institute,  Port  of  Spain, 


Iiidc: 


X 


387 


Villaso     introduces     coffee     inln 
Brazil,  85 

n.  Island  of,  77 

irilin.il.  173 
,  ,m..,     .;  southern  nations,  3(>^ 
Vizcachas   (Laf^ostomus   trUhodiu- 

tylus),  194 
\'<)lcanocs,  26,  336,  346 
X'omito.  278 
\'">n  Ihcring,  Dr.  Hermann,  305, 

3M 
Von  [>ocwcnfeld,  (Icncral,  12 
\''>n  M(X'IIer,  Staatsminister  Hcrr 

Thi"odor,  12 
V^ulturcs,  49 

W 

Wallace,  Alfnxl  Russcl,  325 
Walton,  Isaak,  132 
Ward,  Henr>',  36 
Warder,  Mrs.,  242 
WarinR,  G.  A.,  210 
War-vessels,  Argentinian,  100 
Washington,  George,  visited  Bar- 

'uidos,  338 
Wasps,  73,  308 
Waterfalls,  66,  135,  291 
Water-power.  355 
Water-works,  Trinidad,  2,2(t 
Wax  models  of  diseases  displayed 

in  church,  82 
Weeds,  European,  225,  227 
Whalcroom  at  South  Kensington, 

H5 
\V  liales,  28,  29 
Whale  skull.  Museum  of  La  Plata, 

Wh.-at,  285 

W'..  at-ficld«,  238.  26a 

Whippoorwill,  331 


White  clover  (Trifolium  repens), 

227 
White-faced  ibises  {Flegadis  gua- 

rauna),  193 
W^illis,  Ur.  Bailey,  104,  134 
Williston.  S.  W..  7 
Willows,  l(>9 
Wilson,  VVo<xlrow,  320 
Wireless  messages,  17,  60,  321 
Wia-^  bind  lantls  together,  324 
Wladimir,  Grand  Duke,  14 
Woman  driving  cattle,  2W) 
Women,    black    garments    f)f,    in 

South  America,  165 
Wtxxlward,  Dr.  Arthur  Smith,  214 
Wordsworth  quoted,   147 
World,  the,  is  small,  82,  301 
Wortman,  Jacob  L.,  8 
Wrecks,  319 


Xangadas,  318 
Xanthoxylon,  72,  73 


Yams,  340 

"Yanktx^  ix-ril."  365,  367 
Yellow-fever,  80 
Yellow-shouldered        marsh-birds 

{Ag,eUTus  thiltus),  173 
Yemisch.  211,  217.  221 
Yerba  mat6  or  Paraguay-tea.  189 
Ypiranga,  Palace  of,  305,  307-3  »< 


Zodiai-al  light.  34 
Zo<blogical  Garrlen.  Buenos  Aires, 
156:  I^-i  Plata.  113:  London.  75 


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